


Pick Your Poison

by Raspy_Bug



Category: One Piece
Genre: Artistic liberties with medicine, Background Relationships, But come on it's One Piece so it's all farfetched, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Kidnapping, New World (One Piece), Not Beta Read, Slow Burn, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:53:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 74,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27163462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raspy_Bug/pseuds/Raspy_Bug
Summary: If one asked Alex—a daughter of Marines—where her future lied, she would have said a pirate ship was the last place she would have found herself. But here she was, living content and free. Free to learn and explore, to help those who needed it without the rules of gender or family or the Government to stop her.If one asked Law—who never should have had a future, he would have said undoubtedly and without humor that he would be dragging his crew out of the trouble that plagued them through the Grand Line.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Trafalgar D. Water Law/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 84





	1. Of Bugs and Bears

The sun had only just risen and the humidity was already already stifling. The sound of waves rolling on the beach and wind rustling the palm leaves overhead blended into a lazy melody, but the sweltering heat made the idea of sleeping unbearable.

Alex wiped at her brow and wondered if it was sweat or condensation against her skin. Summer islands in Paradise were bad, but those in the New World were worse. Hence wandering the beaches well before sunrise collecting food and scavenging for parts washed ashore from shipwrecks miles away. Deciding that a break after an hour long trek was warranted, she leaned against a palm tree as she gazed through the understory. 

The trees this close to the beach still towered overhead and were at least as tall as some cargo ship masts. Further into the island, some of the trees were as tall as mountains and thick as sea kings. Even beneath the canopy though, the heat was still unrelenting.

_ May as well be breathing water _ . She idly took a sip from her canteen and rubbed away drops of sweat ready to roll into her eyes. Again.

The island was uninhabited with the exception of the occasional giant insect horde and herself, though Alex did not necessarily want to consider herself an inhabitant of Wayward. She had lovingly named the jungle island after washing ashore. As much as she hated the sweltering heat, her current fortune was more favorable than a sea king’s belly.

About a year ago (if one were to go by the tallies on the wall of her makeshift hut), Alex became stranded on Wayward after a sudden New World-powered storm capsized the trading vessel she was seeking passage on. Thankfully, alcohol barrels float and she was able to hold onto one long enough to make it to the nearest island. Along with about two dozen other barrels of booze and enough pieces of the ship’s hull to know that she was likely the only survivor. 

Alex counted her blessing that a summer island was closest, because her tattered shorts, swim top, and flannel would have done jack-shit on a winter island. Hypothermia was a slow, lonely, and very cold way to go.

Wayward had a large expanse of beach surrounding the island that gave way to palms and evergreens for about half a mile or so. Then the forest floor became so dense and overgrown with ferns and vines that walking was almost impossible. If you managed to push past that wall for another mile, the canopy and emergent layers shot high overhead with almost no vegetation underneath. The barest of light filtered through to the bottom. That was also where the giant bugs lived, and Alex didn’t trek into that part of the jungle very often.

In a year’s time, Alex had traveled most of the outskirts of the island. She had catalogued every plant and fungi she could get her hands on. Her trip today was more for leisure than a true supply run and not so important to risk dehydration, so she took her time continuing on her walk.

After another ten minutes, Alex stopped to take another swig of water and paused when something new caught her eye. Something white and definitely not something found in a jungle.

_ The heat finally got me. I’m hallucinating. There’s a polar bear in the jungle. _

A polar bear that was wearing an orange jumpsuit, trekking on a summer island while looking ready to collapse over the walking stick it was using to hold itself up. Its two companions wearing similar, beige overalls were either oblivious to the poor bear’s misery or just didn’t care.

Alex followed parallel, careful where she placed her feet to avoid drawing their attention. Not that they would be able to hear her over their arguing. How had she not heard them coming sooner? The morning heat must have really gotten to her today.

She squinted to better make out the design on the front of their suits. Her stomach dropped when she made out a jolly roger clear as day. They were pirates, though she didn’t recognize their symbol.

As she trailed along far enough behind and downwind to avoid the bear’s sense of smell, she let her thoughts race. She was near desperate to get off this island, and who knew how long it would take for another ship to come along when there were hundreds of islands on the Grand Line. She had already accepted waiting  _ years _ for rescue as a possibility. Could she really let this opportunity pass?

The oddball group trudged further into the jungle, being as loud and noisy as when she almost stumbled upon them. They plowed through the overgrown zone of vegetation with their machetes--paws in the case of the polar bear. Those were some sharp claws. Alex followed deftly, climbing overhead and travelling tree to tree. She found this extremely easier in the absence of sharp objects or sheer willpower.

Before she realized it, they came to the sudden break of undergrowth and the forest floor suddenly opened wide. The trees were scattered as far apart as houses. The trunks were as thick as houses, too. The sickly sweet smell of leaf rot was thick, and the breeze that was found on the periphery of the island was gone here. The poor polar bear covered his nose, probably unfamiliar with the jungle’s potent aroma.

One of the trio walked on ahead while the other two spread out on either size of the understory brush wall. They just appeared to be looking around without any direct purpose.

All of a sudden, a buzzing could be heard throughout the trees and Alex tensed. Through what little light filtered overhead, a shadow descended. It looked like a beetle on steroids.The mandibles were three overlapping layers of tearing, cleaving, and slicing parts, and the exoskeleton was covered in barbs. Heaven forbid to think why a bug this size needed spines the size of her arm to keep who-knows-what from taking a bite out of it. Protruding from its face was a double pronged horn. The terrible buzz came from its wings as it hovered above the ground, bobbing back and forth more agilely than an insectoid of its size should be capable. 

Normally, Alex had never seen these behemoths outside the canopy. The noise from the intruders must have warranted investigating. The beetle crashed more than landed to the ground, shaking the foundation of the tree she was hiding out in.

One of the men let out a terrified shriek, clearly not expecting the welcoming committee.

Alex weighed the pros and cons of letting the trio try their hand at with the giant, but ultimately decided that would be a no-win for anyone involved. Poor beetle only wanted to make friends.  _ SSHHHRREEEAAAAAAK. _ Or not.

The beetle let out another ear-piercing cry, like glass on the skin. It was expressing its clear displeasure of visitors.

She drew a bottle out of her satchel and slid down from her perch. Neither the men nor the bug had noticed her yet, too busy sizing each other to notice their surroundings. She slipped behind the bug, giving herself plenty of room to make a beeline for the brush if she needed the protection.

Just as the polar bear was gearing up for some martial arts pose, she took a deep breath and made a hell of a lot of noise. “Hey! Yo! Yeah you, behemoth!” she shouted at the top of her lungs, effectively drawing four sets of eyes to her.

The two men and bear gaped at her as she waved her arms overhead and the beetle staggered around to face the new loud noise. It was much more clumsy on the ground than in the air.

“Big bad beetles should know how to treat guests better!” she continued to yell, making as much commotion and movement with her arms as possible. When she felt its eyes were locked on her, she started to take a couple steps forward. The bug became restless when it felt her presence getting closer and it made unhappy rumbling sounds that vibrated through her legs and chest. The bug’s head bobbed up and down, displaying its horn and mandibles to the new intruder.

Alex could see the trio back away from the bug while continuing to watch her like a mad woman. She probably was to be fair with a gargantuan beetle fixated on her.

When she was as close to the bug as she was willing to get without risking getting caught in its mandibles or by its horn, she threw her arms back to gain momentum then slammed her hands together to rupture the capsule she had pulled from her bag. A cloud of yellowish powder scattered everywhere, hitting Alex with a faint gingery smell but causing an immediate change in the bug. 

It shrieked again, throwing its head back as it stumbled away from her. Realizing that going  _ up _ was the farthest and fastest it could get away from the noxious chemical, its membranous wings unfolded and it took off faster than it came with a buzz that split the air in two.

By the time it was gone and the powder had settled on the ground, silence had fallen across the forest floor once more. Alex dusted her hands off on her shorts and turned to her “new” companions. She contemplated acting surprised but ultimately decided against it.

“This island has giant bugs. Please try not to piss them off.”  _ Smooth. Please continue to tell the possibly murderous pirates that they’re idiots. _ She clutched her satchel closer just in case she needed to take off. Surely they wouldn’t follow her into a giant bug-ridden jungle. She had a few more bug repellent bombs on her, but next to nothing to stop pirates.

One of the men stepped forward, the one with the red hair, a black and white, and sunglasses. “That. Was.  _ Awesome _ . How did you do that?”

She blinked, then slowly pulled out another capsule to show. “Bug bomb.”

The one with ‘PENGUIN’ marked on his hat ambled over while looking around wearily, the penguin-like pom pom bobbing side to side atop his head. 

The redhead continued rapid-fire questions. “Who are you? Where did you come from? Where did  _ that thing _ come from? What was it? Are there more?”

Alex stood helplessly at the onslaught and ignored his requests pertaining to her. “I call 'em behemoth beetles. They live in the forest canopy overhead, and I can guarantee there are more.”

“That thing you did with the exploding powder--the bug bomb--that was so cool. It made that monster bug turn tail and run! Did you make it? You must have made it, but how did you put it together?” Red was in serious fanboy mode. Did the man even need to breathe?

Meanwhile, the polar bear stuck his snout in the air and stuffed around. His companions seemed oblivious, but not Alex. The bear's ear started to twitch and it--he?--glanced nervously to the treetops. “Guys, maybe we should head back?”

“Don't interrupt!” the redhead scolded. The bear began apologizing profusely, which Alex thought was odd considering the polar bear was more than twice the size of his companions.

Alex paid closer attention to the canopy, particularly to the low rumble she could feel coming from above that resonated deep in her bones. “I think I agree with your bear friend. Listen.”

Slowly, a buzzing began to grow around them, deeper and more insistent than the beetle previously.

“That’s the sound of a swarm. How about we take this elsewhere?” Alex suggested, gesturing towards the carved path the trio had made through the briars previously.

The two men gulped before making a dash for the underbrush. The bear gave Alex a toothy grin that she was pretty sure was meant to be friendly but just set her nerves further on edge. The polar bear hurried after his crewmates. Alex followed at a more sedate pace while fingering her bug bombs.

By the time they emerged from the thick underbrush back to the thinner jungle, her two human guests were winded and sagging against a palm tree. The poor bear all but collapsed at their feet, his tongue panting to the side.

Having never been known for her tact, Alex decided to rip it off like a bandaid. “So any reason three pirates are wandering around an island infested with bugs? You guys  _ are _ pirates, right?” she asked.

“Yeah! How did you know?” Alex gestured pointedly to the jolly roger on their suits. The redhead looked a bit sheepish. “Ah, yeah. Well, we’re out here ‘cause Captain told us to search the island for anything interesting. Well, his words were more like ‘Go make yourself useful and make sure there aren’t hostiles' but same thing.”

Alex hummed in agreement though she honestly had no clue if the two were the same thing for their Captain.

“I’m Shachi, by the way. Thanks again for saving us from that bug. That thing was  _ huge _ . Oh! And this is Penguin and Bepo.” He pointed to the one with the “PENGUIN” hat (she supposed it wouldn’t take a genius to figure that out now), then the talking polar bear. The bear waved shyly from his place on the jungle floor.

“Ah, I’m Alex,” she greeted and reigned in the proper manners urging her to shake their hands.  _ Don’t shake the hands of pirates you’ve just met. You don’t know where they’ve been _ . “Well, the only ‘hostiles’ on this island are the bugs, but they’re more territorial than aggressive. They also live deeper in the jungle so stay closer to the beaches and you’ll be fine.”

Penguin was now watching her closely from under his hat, as far as she could tell. “This island was supposed to be uninhabited by people according to records and we didn’t see any signs of civilization when we circled the island to anchor. Are you the only person on the island?”

Alex felt tension creep into her shoulders but she kept her demeanor calm. Her knuckles were white against her bag strap.  _ “Are you alone?”  _ was the root question. They were pirates and potentially her only way off the island for months to years to come, but there were worse fates than isolation.

Bepo lifted his head with his nose twitching. “Penguin, stop it. She smells afraid and her heart is racing. You’re making her uncomfortable.”

Alex felt herself flush in self-consciousness for having been scented by the polar bear and his well-intentioned comments, but she was surprised when the pirate’s cheeks reddened and he scowled. “Damnit, Bepo, shut it. I was just asking to see if we missed somewhere to pick up supplies!” He seemed to realize how his comment could have come across and was embarrassed for the misunderstanding.

She almost found herself asking if these guys were really pirates, because weren’t pirates supposed to be crude and mean but found herself answering Penguin’s original question instead. “There’s no one else on the island that I’m aware, and I’ve been here for over a year so I feel like I’d have run into someone by now if there was.”

“No female bears?” asked Bepo forlornly and his two crew members looked with identical expressions of disbelief and exasperation.

“No, I’m afraid there aren’t any bears on this  _ summer _ island, Bepo-san,” she said in good humor.

“A year is a long time to be here by yourself,” Penguin mused, clearly expecting her to elaborate on her situation.

Alex decided a year of solitude, no social interaction, and the heat were enough to make her talk. “I washed up on the beach after a storm capsized the boat I was on. As far as I know, there were no other survivors and I’ve been stuck on an island infested with giant insects and threatening dehydration.” The  _ waiting for rescue _ goes unsaid. She was trying to build up enough courage to ask ‘the question.’

The three shared a look before coming to an unspoken conclusion. “Come back to the beach with us and ask Captain if you can hitch a ride, Alex-chan!” Shachi volunteered before she had to think of a tactful way to ask for a way off the island.

Suddenly, the opportunity of getting off this bug-infested, blistering island seemed within her grasp and Alex allowed common sense to be thrown to the wayside. She doesn’t even pay mind to the pirate’s informality with her name. “Yes, please!”

Which is how she ended up following the trio a couple miles through the thinning trees further along the island and eventually to the shore. The three chatted amiably about their journey to the island and boasted about their Captain with obvious admiration. Shachi warned her that while the man had a harsh reputation, he was known for having a heart every now and then--which then set the three pirates off cackling with laughter and Alex was sure she was missing a joke.

They emerged on the beach, the waves foaming the sand as the tide receded for the day. Bepo stuck his nose in the air one direction, then another, before setting off down the beach. For as much grief as the bear’s crewmates seemed to give him at times, they followed him unquestioningly.

The four of them ambled around a bend towards the island’s only cove large enough for a ship to rest. Alex’s gaze was immediately drawn towards the water and to a yellow... _ submarine _ ? 

Shachi glanced over his shoulder at that exact moment and caught her look of disbelief. He laughed. “That’s the Polar Tang! The best submarine in the Grand Line.”

She nodded wordlessly and let herself take in the movement further down the beach. Every person she saw wore boiler suits like Shachi and Penguin. All except one, who she assumed to be the Captain as he was leaning against a slab of rock while the crew around him hurried about.

Their Captain was a tall and lean man, towering at least one and a half heads taller than Alex. He was just as overdressed for a summer island as his crew, wearing a black fur-trimmed navy shirt, jeans, and a thick-billed, spotted hat that covered a head of dark hair. His posture appeared languid at first glance, but a nodachi rested firmly against his left shoulder as he scanned the horizon.

As Alex and her new acquaintances approached, golden eyes shadowed by dark circles cut to her, the new face amongst his crew. She could better make out the cut of his jaw and a scruffy goatee with him facing her. He would be attractive if he wasn't so terrifying, or if she hadn't immediately recognized him from his wanted poster.

“Shit. You're Trafalgar Law.”

He smirked at her blunt observation and lowered his sword to hang at his hip. Dear Lord, she very well may die today. He doesn’t bother to acknowledge her statement, but why would he? He was the fucking Surgeon of Death. His piercing gaze left her and looked to his crew members who didn’t even flinch under their Captain’s unwavering stare.

“Anything to report?” his tone was nonchalant and his voice was a low baritone that just seemed to match his overall demeanor.

Shachi stepped forward and saluted his Captain, though it appeared mostly for show. “There were no signs of villages but we did find giant beetles on the island, Captain!” The dark-haired man traced the hilt of his nodachi and gave the redhead a pointed look. “Oh, and this is Alex-chan! She saved us from giant beetles.”

“Behemoth beetles,” she corrected, then flushed in embarrassment.

The Captain raised an inquisitive brow, but Shachi soldiered on. “Yeah, those! It was like 30 feet tall at least. You should have seen her, Captain. She walked right up to this thing and then--BAM!--made it fly off with this weird exploding powder!”

“Exploding powder?” The pirate captain was only amusing his subordinate now, she was sure.

“Bug bombs.” Alex's answer was much more timid this time around, now having many more sets of eyes on her. It seemed that all the movement on the beach had stalled at their arrival. Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin may have assured her of their Captain's recent inclination towards favors, and she was desperate to get off this island, but her bug friends seemed more inviting at the moment.

Alex felt a nudge at her shoulder and could feel Bepo's reassuring presence. The movement didn't escape Law's sharp gaze.

“So Alex-ya? Do you have a last name?” A simple enough question.

“Ah, Belrose,” she answered in affirmative.

“And how did you end up on an island infested by...behemoth beetles?” he continued to press, continuing to look calm, collected, and more than willing to behead her if she tested his patience.

“There's more than just beetles,” she supplied helpfully, then felt her face heat again for having corrected one of the most dangerous men of the seas. It was like she had a death wish. “I washed ashore when the ship I was on collapsed during a storm. I’ve been living on the island for about a year now.”

Alex felt more than saw his demeanor shift. His smile became razor sharp, and she could feel the three beside her shift away. That look must never mean good things. “So now you're needing rescue. And because you 'saved’ some of my crew from a big bug, you feel entitled to ride off the island?”

Alex felt a laugh escape her against any self-preservation she had. “I know better than to demand anything from pirates, let alone the infamous Surgeon of Death.” She fisted the strap of her bag to steel herself and stood tall. “I had planned to offer a trade. I know where two dozen barrels of rum and sake are stashed away on this island. If you can take me to the next inhabited island, they're yours. That's a million beli deal, easy. More than enough for a single passage on a pirate's vessel.”

The pirate Captain's lazy grin had fallen back in place, and Alex couldn't tell if it bode well for her or not. Though Bepo had clearly recovered as he stepped forward.

“She smells really nice, Captain, and she did help us,” the polar bear insisted, clasping and wringing his paws together.

_ I smell nice? _ Alex wondered how in the Blue Seas that translated to anything for the bear. Hopefully not to eat her. He had seemed nice enough.

“And how do you know you won't be killed or taken advantage of the moment you step foot on my ship? We could simply have you show us where your stash is  _ now _ then say to hell with your deal.” He was toying with his sword, trying to intimidate her. Instead, she felt some of the tension in her frame leave at his inquiry. 

“Captain!” Multiple voices exclaimed around them. Clearly they didn’t believe his threats which further set her mind.

Alex licked her dry lips and actually smiled, which seemed to surprise the man. “Three reasons. You felt the urge to forewarn me. You couldn't actually bring yourself to say rape--no one says 'taken advantage of’ anymore. And I am really and truly desperate to get off this island. It may be years before someone stumbles through again.”

Trafalgar Law, Surgeon of Death, and one of the infamous Supernovas looked her straight in the eye, his expression neutral. Bepo glanced worriedly between the two of them, and she could practically feel the other two beside her fidget.

“Deal.”

She beamed and stuck out her hand. The dark haired man contemplated the gesture before reaching out and fingers marked with “DEATH” grasping around hers. “Deal!”

There were shouts of excitement beside her as Shachi and Penguin flocked closer, demanding to know where the booze was and why she hadn't said anything about it sooner.

“Shachi, Penguin, follow Belrose-ya to where her payment is. Jean Bart, help them carry the barrels. Bepo, chart out the next inhabited island. Everyone else, be ready to set off once the log pose resets.”

“Aye Captain!” There was a sudden flurry of movement, some heading towards the yellow submarine and others back into the treeline to look for supplies. They were efficient and everyone knew their role. Trafalgar Law was a formidable captain.

A small part in the back of her mind wondered what Alex had gotten herself into, however.


	2. Of Cells and Showers

With her payment collected and aboard, Alex found herself in the brig of the submarine. Least to say she wasn’t surprised given her status of ‘unknown woman found wandering a jungle island.’ There was a small cot with no additional furnishings and no light other than the one outside by the door. It was cool and the air was a bit stale and she loved it.

Bepo shuffled behind her and was scratching his ear apologetically. She now knew that Bepo was the submarine’s navigator and a member of the mink tribe, which would explain the walking and talking polar bear. She had not met a mink during her travels yet, though being a member of a ferocious tribe didn’t quite dampen the urge to run her fingers through his fur. “Captain’s orders that any non-crew are to remain away from anything important on the sub. We’ll bring you some things to make it a bit more liveable in here--you’re a passenger not a prisoner, afterall. And someone will be by three times a day or so to take you to the latrine and the mess hall. I’m sorry about the set-up, Alex-san.”

Alex set her satchel and another pack with the few things she had from the island on the cot and looked around. “No worries, Bepo-san. For the first time in over a year, I don’t have to worry about getting eaten by centipedes, spiders, or ants. Though I wouldn’t say no to a lantern or any books if your Captain is alright with letting me have them.”

The mink said he would do his best and hurried off after locking her in her new ‘room’, apologizing no less than a dozen times before leaving.

The quiet that settled around her was welcome and Alex let herself settle into the cot with the cold metallic floor beneath her feet. While she would have loved the opportunity for a shower, there was some trepidation about being any more vulnerable than she already was.

Her thoughts drifted to the year that had passed while she was on Wayward, happenings she may have missed out in the world, but more importantly the things she had learned while on the island. Without any portholes or clocks, it’s impossible to tell how much time passes while she sits on the cot, counting the number of bolts along the wall that protected her from the weight of the sea.

There was a gentle rocking sensation that brought Alex out of her daze. She realized the sub must be moving.  _ Farewell you shitty bug-infested hellhole. _

Her stomach told her that another couple hours must have passed before someone finally came back for her. It was Penguin to swing her by the latrine on the way to the mess hall for something to eat. The man explained it was easier to bring her there rather than fetch someone multiple times to take her food then come back for the tray multiple times throughout the day. She was just happy to stretch her legs and see some parts of the sub.

What they referred to as the mess hall was a dining hall with several long tables and benches. There was an internal window with a wide ledge that looked into the kitchen. Several members of the crew were mulling about with food and drinks, chatting amiably until she and Penguin walked in. She waved then followed her guide to the window.

“Yachi is our crew’s cook. He only makes a couple of dishes each day--what few dishes he can--but you can let him know which you want if it’s available.”

An older man with a moustache popped into the window, holding a butcher’s knife in one hand and a frying pan in the other. “I can’t promise a five star meal, lass, but in my kitchen you will be well fed. Don’t listen to a thing the men say about my cooking. It is edible.” The man--Yachi--pointed the knife threateningly at Penguin who seemed unfazed. “It’s pretty late past lunch, so you’re probably hungry. I’m afraid all I have left for now is some champ, though. Let me get you a bowl.”

Alex had no idea what champ was, but if it tasted as good as it smelt as the dish was set in front of her, she would happily have seconds. Penguin took a helping himself and herded her towards an empty table in the corner.

“We give Yachi a hard time, but his cooking is actually pretty good. Don’t be worried about food poisoning. Captain wouldn’t stand for anyone getting sick onboard from something that mundane,” he told her matter-of-factly. With that, the man dug into his food and Alex followed suit. No one approached their table and the pair made short work of their food. Afterwards, Penguin escorted her back to her cell and with short farewell left her be.

This time as the silence settled around her, Alex laid down on her cot with a stomach full of warm food and let the slight motion of the submarine lull her into a light sleep. Her dreams were filled with the sounds of membranous wings beating, rumbling that could be felt in her bones, and a pressing sensation of loneliness.

She woke to the sound of footsteps coming down the hall, much lighter than Bepo's and with a shorter cadence than Penguin's. Alex sat up as the door opened and a figure came into the view. She blinked at the female in front of her. She was a little taller than Alex, though the woman's unruly brown hair could have been adding a couple inches regardless of the yellow and orange hat on her head.  _ Did this crew have a thing for hats? Was that a requirement to be recruited? _ Obviously polar bear minks were exempt.

The woman noted her staring and frowned. The scowl seemed at place on her lips somehow. "The guys sent me down here to take you to the showers. I've got a spare change of clothes, since it looks like we're almost the same size."

Alex only now noticed the bag the other woman was holding out. Not wanting to seem rude, she averted her gaze and took the offering. "Please. A shower would be great. I have about a year's worth of grime to get rid of." Her guide snorted and turned away to go down the hall, clearly expecting Alex to follow.

"Showers are limited to five minutes to conserve water. We try to keep our demand on the filtration system to a minimum. And there's only one set of washrooms. I usually get first dibs before the men but we thought you'd want to shower in peace. I'll stand watch while you wash off." The female pirate was deftly leading her through a confusing maze of entry ways and halls. The construction of a submarine was much tighter than the ships she had travelled on before. She wondered how poor Bepo managed to get around, or that giant crew member she saw on the beach but had yet to meet.

"Thank you for the consideration,” Alex offered sincerely. “Aren't you ever concerned about bathing on a submarine full of males?"

That earned her a genuine laugh. "Not a bit. If Captain caught any of the crew stepping out of line like that, he'd have their head." Alex didn't think that was a metaphor with the stories she had heard about the infamous Surgeon of Death. Which also meant 'standing watch' was more to keep an eye on her.

"You and your crew members speak very highly of your Captain," she commented candidly.

This caused the woman to look over her shoulder and consider Alex critically. "We would all give our lives for the Captain, whether he’d want us to or not. He’s never done anything malicious without good reason. He’d do anything to assure the safety and well-being of his crew." She clearly spoke from experience, and it made Alex wonder what tales the Polar Tang and its crew had of the Grand Line.

"I didn’t mean to make offense towards you or Captain Trafalgar,” Alex reassured. “Your Captain has a terrible reputation, most of which I’m sure has been exaggerated or well-deserved on those who ended up on his bad side. After all, not many would allow a stranger safe passage on their vessel along New World, pirate or no. I’m extremely grateful to your Captain, even if he is the Surgeon of Death.”

The two women had clearly arrived at their destination because they had stopped walking and the doors in front of them were labeled showers. The female pirate gave a pause, though. "You don't seem the law-breaking type but you clearly don't mind being around pirates." It was an observation as much as it was an inquiry.

"You’re right, I can’t really say that I mind pirates,” Alex gave a casual shrug. “I've seen the brunt of what those on the ‘right’ side of the law can do. Pirates certainly aren't the worst things on the sea, and your Captain and crew have shown more kindness and hospitality than many I've traveled with before."

The other woman’s sour expression turned into a wicked grin. “Don’t let the men hear you say that. They have a reputation to uphold,” she warned, her voice hushed and leaning forward like the two were sharing a secret. Then she pulled back and gestured to the washroom doors. “Go shower before the guys switch shifts and come to clean up before dinner. You’ve probably got ten minutes. My name is Ikkaku, by the way. I’m the head mechanic for the crew.”

“My name is Alex. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ikkaku.” And it genuinely was. Alex had met so few females on the seas during her travels. 

She then slipped into the washroom and set about cleaning off the layers of sweat, salt, sand, and plain old grime caking her skin. The water was like heaven running through her hair and some quick digging in the bag found a small bar soap that she took to her entire body. She was cutting it close to the five minute mark but she was also more than willing to risk it to wash her hair.

Once clean and rinsed, Alex pulled out the borrowed clothing from the bag and was happy to find a set of underwear, as well as a comb and toothbrush. Just the idea of new clothes (technically secondhand) was enough to bring joyful tears after a year on a deserted island with no basic level of hygiene. She did hope the toothbrush was unused, though. Her old clothing quickly went back into the bag with plans to incinerate them the first chance she got.

Alex paused in front of the mirror once she had dressed, a black halter top with brown capris. Her hair was curling lightly, free of tangles and ends dripping several inches below her collar bone. Even wet, her sandy blonde hair was notably lighter than it had been the last she had seen her reflection, sun-bleached from her time with limited shelter on a summer island. She looked herself in the eyes, cornflower blue lined by thick lashes and underscored by specks of darker pigment. Despite her honey toned skin, freckles had always dusted her skin. There were more freckles on her face now than she ever remembered having, though, with thicker patches along the bridge of her nose and cheeks as well as the top of her shoulders.

The most striking feature to her was the sunken skin along her collar bones and cheeks. Alex knew she had lost weight while on the island. There were days she would go without a decent meal, and she learned the hard way that the bugs on the island were inedible. She almost didn’t survive that lesson, having spent close to a week in the fetal position and relieving the contents on her stomach anytime she tried having anything but water.

Turning away from the stranger that was her reflection, Alex scooped up her things and walked out the washroom.

Ikkaku was waiting against the wall and pushed off at her exit. “Dinner will be ready soon but we should have enough time to drop your stuff back in the brig. Come on.” She led the way back to her “room” and Alex tried her best to memorize the turns through the confusing maze of passageways and doors. “I hope you don’t mind crowds. Lunchtime was probably dead by the time you made it through, but dinner is the only meal we really eat together as a crew. It can get rowdy.” The female pirate gave Alex a sharp grin.

“I think I could stand a little company at the present moment. Ideally the kind that doesn’t have an exoskeleton or antennae and walks on two legs.” She counted off the requirements with her fingers. “Or that can at least hold an intelligent conversation.”

Ikkaku threw her head back and laughed. “Well, I can’t promise there’s anything intelligent about our crew but if it’s conversation you want, you better be careful what you ask for. You’re the newest thing on the sub, which means the men will be happy to talk your ears off.”

Alex didn’t bother with a reply as they came upon her cell door and she quickly chucked the bag under her cot. They set off back in the direction they came with a few different twists and turns that Alex found more familiar from earlier. When the two women stepped into the mess hall, it was a bustle of activity. Men throwing elbows and curses at one another, but the buzz of laughter and conversation set a good-natured tone.

She followed Ikkaku to the window ledge that joined the kitchen and held several trays with the evening’s meal options. Yachi poked his head out the window. “Braving this mess, lass? Better now than later, though. More chow. Ho ho! Anything strike your fancy?”

“Ah, do any of these have wheat flour, Yachi-san?” she asked, looking at the meal options with a careful but hungry eye. The champ for lunch had left her wanting more of the cook’s delicious food.

In turn, the man gave her a critical look. “Aye, lass. The beef stew has some flour as a thickener. The colcannon’s made of potatoes and cabbage with cheddar and bacon.”

“I’ll take some of the potato dish then, Yachi-san. I’m sorry I won't be able to try any of the stew, I’m allergic to wheat. It smells delicious, though.” She tried to soothe any blow to the man’s ego. Cooks and chefs could get so tempermental defending their recipes.

The cook seemed to start and frowned, corners of his mouth pulling his moustache down his thick cheeks dramatically. “Lass, don’t apologize for something like that! Had I known, I would have fixed something lighter that didn’t need flour to help set.”

She smiled awkwardly and tugged on a loose strand of her hair. “You don’t need to go out of your way, Yachi-san. I’m just a guest on your all’s ship after all. Whatever wonderful food you make for your crew will more than suffice for me.”

The man regarded her very seriously. “Lass, it is a cook’s job to feed every soul and hungry mouth in his charge. I don’t want you to worry about being able to eat anything I put in front of you. Rest assured, I’ll take care of it. Any other food allergies? Other grains? Nuts?” he pressed, pulling out a pad and pencil that looked like it had a mismatch of recipes, ingredients, and shopping list.

Alex laughed at the man’s concerned nature and shook her head. “No, Yachi-san. Just wheat.”

The man nodded and began scribbling furiously on the paper. “Captain doesn’t eat bread, so we already don’t need a lot of flour anyways. I wonder what could be substituted…” He meandered deeper into the kitchen before Alex could get another word in. 

Sighing at the battle lost, she took a tray with the colcannon served with a glass of water and a bowl of diced fruit. She turned and realized Ikkaku had left her while she spoke with the cook. A quick glance found her sitting at a table with two men she had yet to meet next to another table holding Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo--who took up his side of the table with little room to spare.

She must have caught Shachi’s eye beneath his sunglasses, because he waved her over and hollered her name above the noise around them.

Alex tentatively sat next to Shachi who immediately began rapid fire questioning. Where was she from? An island in paradise. How long had she been traveling the Grand Line? Four years? What was her favorite color? Green. How old was she? Rude, you never as a lady her age, but she was definitely old enough to drink. 

Her response led to a round of laughter from those listening in. Ikkaku wasn’t kidding when she said her arrival would cause a stir.

As everyone settled and filled their bellies, Alex realized that the submarine’s Captain was nowhere to be seen. Bepo’s ear twitched, as if hearing her thoughts, and he stood. “I’m going to go take Captain his dinner.” With that, he walked back to the kitchen window where Yachi passed him a covered tray, then the polar bear mink left the mess hall.

“Does Captain Trafalgar normally take his dinner in his quarters?” Alex inquired, taking the last bite of her colcannon. She would feel bad if the man wasn’t eating with her crew for the reason of her being there. Some people cared about appearances, however she didn’t think the infamous Surgeon of Death would be one of those people.

“Captain’s in his office in the med bay. He usually stays in there all evening,” Penguin said matter-of-factly. “Bepo has to take him dinner so he remembers to eat. It works sometimes.”

Interest in the Heart Pirate’s Captain was quickly discarded. “You all have a med bay?” Alex asked excitedly. How big was it? What kind of submarine had a med bay? Was it designed that way? Did they just add it onto the already cramped quarters?

“Uh, yeah? Captain is an actual doctor and surgeon after all. The best in all four Blue Seas and the Grand Line,” Shachi bragged, chest puffed in pride for his Captain’s skills. “Once after Marineford, he…” The redhead let out an  _ ‘oof’ _ when Penguin elbowed him in the ribs, jostling him enough to bump into Alex. “Oh, uh, nevermind.”

Alex hummed and pushed her tray away. “I understand. Don’t tell me anything that may get you into trouble with your Captain, Shachi-san.” She felt the situation had turned awkward but there was very little she could do to remedy the situation.

After a few minutes of silence, Ikkaku stood to take her tray to disposal and motioned for Alex to follow her.

“Thanks for the company, Penguin-san, Shachi-san!” she offered as she grabbed her tray and hurried after the only other female onboard. 

When she was back in her cell, she let herself succumb to sleep. This time, her dreams were of stormy waters and the letters D-E-A-T-H written on palm trees.


	3. Of Grains and Berries

Three days passed like the first. Someone--usually Bepo or Ikkaku--would fetch her for restroom and meals. Shachi and Penguin automatically made room for her on their bench in the mess hall, and conversation flowed more smoothly than the first night. They traded stories of adventures on the Grandline, however names of people and islands were often omitted by the Heart Pirates, likely wary of giving away too much information.

There was still no sign of the submarine’s Captain. Alex pondered if it was normal for the man to lock himself in his office for days on end.

It wasn’t until they were finally approaching land that she saw Trafalgar Law for the first time since the beach on Wayward.

Per the navigator’s records, the next island was just as uninhabited as the last and another summer island of sorts. Nonetheless, Alex was escorted to the upper deck once they breached and the island was within sight. There were no towering trees or giant bugs from what she could see, only a wide expanse of grasses and sparse trees that looked a bit like umbrellas from their current distance. The sheer difference of habitat from her past year had her itching to explore the flora and fauna.

Once the Polar Tang was within reasonable distance to the shore, they set anchor and lowered the dinghy. Law was giving orders from the center of the deck. The rest of the Heart Pirates set about their given tasks with idle chatter amongst them. Alex itched to catalog just a handful of what she could see.

“Captain Trafalgar. May I join your scouting party?” she ventured, figuring the worst he’d likely do was tell her to get back to her cell. “Savanna islands are well-known for their herbaceous layer and all sorts of different species of rare medicinal herbs. I can bring back anything I find for your supplies.”

The dark-haired man turned a fraction towards her, hand resting idly against his sword. She had an impossible time reading his expression and his face was partially hidden between the bill of his hat and the feathered rim of his hoodie. The glint of his eyes was like ice despite their golden color. Alex felt that his gaze may have been sharper than his sword.

Finally, he turned away dismissively. “My crew isn’t responsible for your safety and we’ll leave regardless if you’re not back by the time the log pose resets.”

Her lips split into a grin and she gave a sloppy salute that he didn’t see. “Aye, Captain!” Then she was on the dinghy, helping haul rope and crates before the men even realized her presence.

It was her, Shachi, Penguin, Bepo, and the giant of a man--Jean Bart--who made their way to the island on the small boat. She waited patiently until Jean Bart had pulled the dinghy ashore before disembarking. While Shachi and Penguin made their ways along the beach in opposite directions and Jean Bart stayed with the boat, she cut straight towards the center of the island.

Looking over her shoulder, she idly noted that Bepo was following her a few arm lengths back. He caught her gaze then immediately looked away, clearly not going to address his stalking. “I take it you’re on babysitting duty?” she asked candidly, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.

If a polar bear mink could blush, Alex was sure Bepo would be a lovely shade of cherry tomato. “Ah, Alex-san, I don’t...uh, how coincidental that you’re also going this way…?” She noted that Bepo made a _terrible_ liar.

Alex thought the poor mink looked so uncomfortable and awkward but decided with a grin that she wasn’t going to pull any punches. “Captain Trafalgar asked you to follow me and report back any suspicious activity. It’s okay, that means your Captain is smart and trying to keep you all safe. I would do the same thing in his place.” She looked behind them, not even a few hundred meters into the savanna. Ignoring his sputtering, Alex decided to do a foolishly brave thing and grasped one of the mink’s large paws and pulled him under the shade of what she believed to be an acacia tree. “I’d like to stay on your Captain’s good side, so let’s make sure you don’t have a heat stroke, yeah? You poor thing, you’re probably dying with two summer islands in a row.”

Bepo all but collapsed against the tree, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. “I’m sorry, Alex-san.”

Alex hummed and pulled her canteen out to give to the mink who accepted it bashfully. She looked at the extent of the shade under the tree then to the immediate surroundings. “How about a compromise, Bepo-san? It’s at least a few degrees cooler here in the shade. You stay under the tree, and I won’t go past your direct line of sight. You’ll still be following Captain Trafalgar’s order to keep an eye on me, and I can still explore without risking you overheating.”

Bepo nodded eagerly, downing the rest of the water in her canteen within seconds and not looking any less parched for it. Alex frowned and wondered if the poor thing’s Captain had really thought about the risk of sending a polar bear mink into the middle of a summer island.

She pulled out a journal and a pencil from her satchel, kneeling to inspect a few grasses close to the mink so she could keep an eye on him as much as he did her. The pencil flew over the page as she traced out the primary features of each plant to help her better identify them later. She didn’t have the means of taking so many samples with her right now, so she would only collect those she recognized from her medicinal texts. She had promised the Heart Pirates’ Captain after all.

Eventually, her legs began to cramp and she recognized the signs of mild dehydration almost immediately. Realizing she had been crouched for at least an hour, she glanced to her right and found her companion asleep, jaw hanging open and sharp teeth glinting in the sun. The occasional muffled snore softened the image.

Standing slowly to give the blood time to return to her legs, she dusted her knees off and tucked her book and samples into her bag.

“Bepo-san,” she called, not wanting to get too close to a sleeping bear, “Let’s head back to the ship, yeah?” She received a pitiful nod in return.

The mink was slow to wake and stayed sluggish for most of their walk back, not saying much of anything as they met the others back at the dinghy. Jean Bart gave the two a quick glance and all but threw his crewmate into the boat. Alex was allowed to climb in with a little more dignity. Shachi and Penguin piled in and they were off, rowing back to the submarine. 

Shachi immediately began complaining about the island being a waste of time like the last, nothing useful to eat and no beautiful women to be found. Alex’s pointed stare was enough to have him backpedaling and sputtering all over himself, all but shouting to the sea kings that she obviously didn’t count because she was traveling with them now. Finally, Penguin took mercy and clapped a hand over the man’s mouth to keep him from digging any deeper a whole for himself.

When the five of them were hauled back onto the Polar Tang’s deck, Law watched them carefully, particularly the mindful distance Shachi gave Alex. Jean Bart immediately set about dragging Bepo into the cooler depths of the sub. Penguin stepped forward with a report at the ready. “Nothing to report, sir. There aren’t any freshwater reservoirs within reasonable walking distance. No obvious food sources, either.”

Law tilted his head and his subordinate took it as a clear dismissal. Penguin grabbed Shachi by the shoulders and made their way over to the side railing where several other Heart Pirates were either lounging in the sun or climbing to and from the side of the ship into the cooler bay waters. Alex pulled her gaze away from their activities and found the pirate captain watching her almost lazily.

“Ah, Captain-san. I have something for you.” Alex padded over, bare feet warm on the wooden deck where she had taken her shoes off after getting back into the dinghy earlier. She pulled a folded white cloth from her satchel and opened it for him to inspect.

“Grass?” Law asked, his expression entirely unimpressed.

Alex resisted the urge to frown. This man was supposed to be a doctor, wasn’t he? Didn’t he recognize the plant? Instead of asking any of this, she told him, “Sailor’s Weed. It grows commonly on savanna-like summer islands in the New World and is used to treat…”

“Scurvy,” he finished. She bit her tongue, unsure if he knew what the plant was the entire time and his comment had been an attempt to rile her. “Which we have plenty of citrus stashed in the kitchen, so I don’t see the need for this, Belrose-ya.” 

Now she knew he was baiting her. Unfortunately, it was working.

“Did you know that out of all the citrus fruits, oranges have the greatest vitamin C content? But the average orange only contains about three-quarters of a single person’s vitamin C needs. A ship of say...twenty?...would need to stock up on oranges once a month at a port, and they would likely take up approximately 25% of the ship’s pantry. That’s a pretty risky endeavor in the Grand Line where months may pass between inhabited islands.” She was on a roll and only vaguely registered that the Captain seemed to actually be paying mind to her rant. “While most grasses are significantly lacking in vitamin C, Sailor’s Weed contains closer to ninety percent a person’s daily needs within roughly a hundred grams of grain. Oranges also eventually rot. Grains store for significantly longer periods of time as long as they’re kept dry.”

Alex finally stopped to find Trafalgar Law, the infamous Surgeon of Death, smirking at her. She resisted the urge to take a step back and plead for him to leave her head (and all of her other limbs) firmly attached.

Finding her self-preservation, she ducked her head sheepishly. “Sorry. Plants are kind of my thing.”

Law took the folded cloth from her before she could put it away. “Room.” A vaguely tinted blue bubble expanded from the man’s hand and Alex vaguely realized that he was using his Devil Fruit ability. “Shambles.” Before she could blink, the white cloth was gone from his hand and in its place sat a pen that the man deftly pocketed. With a subtle _pop_ and shift in pressure, the Room was gone.

The racing of her heart had more to do with excitement at the display and less fear of what else the man could do.

“Where did you learn medicine?” Law asked, his hands staying in his pockets and out of sight. The man’s interest was clearly peaked. Alex realized that her mouth may have decided on a poor time to run away on her. This was not a man whose serious scrutiny she wanted to be under. His eyes cut like scalpel blades. He clearly expected her to answer.

She swallowed to clear her throat of the stone that seemed to have settled there. “I didn’t,” she told him. “I studied botany and pharmaceuticals, but not necessarily medicine. I’m an apothecary, not a physician.”

Law hummed, a low sound that reminded her of a big cat--maybe a leopard--as it considered its prey. “Apothecary is a pretty old term. Wouldn’t you call yourself a pharmacist?” he pressed.

Alex felt her face flush but tamped down the reaction. She still felt remnants of bitterness creep into her voice. “ _No_ , I wouldn’t. To be called a pharmacist, you have to be licensed. And to sit for a license, you have to study with a recognized school or program. Most which, in this _modern_ day and era, only accepts _men_.”

Law _tsked_ and looked annoyed with her. “That still doesn’t answer my question. Where did you learn?”

“I taught myself mostly. Almost everything is in the books if you know where to look and have the patience to learn. What I couldn’t learn from books, I learned under a doctor on a marine ship.” She wanted to bite her wayward tongue for mentioning Marine ties to one of the most feared pirates of the Worst Generation.

“Marine ship?” He didn’t seem concerned about her mentioning the Marines, though. If anything, his tone was haughty, like the mere thought of her as a marine was laughable.

Alex felt her hackles flare. “Yes, a Marine ship. I have Marines in my family. My brother is a Captain, and my father is a retired Commodore.” _And pulled a few strings to get his naive and adventurous daughter aboard a ship sailing the Grand Line against better judgement_ went unsaid.

“And what would they think of their beloved daughter and sister traveling with pirates?” he continued to hedge her, looking to the world coy and innocent in his inquiry.

Alex stiffened and looked out to the sea, trying to see past the horizon. This conversation was starting to sit heavy in her stomach and burn up her ribs into her throat. “Consider me the black sheep of the family,” she replied, not truly answering his question. 

The Hearts Captain either didn’t catch the misdirect or he let it slide. Neither seemed a likely answer for the shrewd, stringent man.

“Yachi!” Law called over his shoulder and Alex only now noticed the cook on the far side of the deck with a couple of fishing poles. “Come here.”

“Aye Captain!” The bald man reeled his lines in and came over.

"I want you to escort Belrose-ya back to the island. Help her collect a few things for kitchen and medical supply. She can show you what to pick." He turned to Alex. "Ask Yachi for any equipment you might need."

With that, the Heart Pirate's Captain turned away and disappeared back into the depths of the submarine.

Alex blinked slowly then turned to the cook. “Ever harvested grains before?”

* * *

It took two days for the log pose to reset, then the Polar Tang was casting off and away from another summer island. Captain Trafalgar continued to remain aloof and tucked away in his office following their departure. That was, until one of the crew members suddenly fell ill. It happened at dinner, when a building murmur at another table was followed by exclamations from several crew members as the one named Clione faceplanted onto the table. 

Shachi disappeared from beside her, running down the corridor only for Law to blink into existence less than a minute later.

“Report!” he barked, already pulling gloves out of his pocket to grab his subordinate and lower him to the floor. Strong and steady fingers assessed pulse points, the rise and fall of the chest, airway and eyes. Vitals were checked swiftly but efficiently. It was clear this man was a physician just as much as he was a captain and pirate.

Another crewmate who she thought was called Douglas, darker skin with a goatee and beard, knelt next to his captain. She remembered vaguely that Shachi told her he was an anesthesiologist (and always cheated at poker). “Clione said he hadn’t been feeling too well this morning. Had trouble sleeping, a headache. He was going to talk to you if it didn’t get better by this evening. Said he thought it was just the heat getting to him. He kept sweating all the time but he wasn’t running a fever.”

Trafalgar scowled. “His heart rate is forty-five, his pupils are dilated. Go get the stretcher so we can take him to the infirmary.” Douglas and Penguin disappeared from the room. Alex noted the blue fingernails the same moment the Captain did, lifting a hand to inspect closely. “He’s not hypoxic, his fingers are stained. Does anyone know what this is from?” No one spoke because no one knew.

Douglas and Penguin came back with Shachi and a stretcher in tow. They loaded Clione as gently as possible and started out of the room with their Captain in tow.

The color stained onto the man’s fingers and the symptoms nagged at the back of Alex’s memory, though. A bushy shrub surrounded by tall grasses in the scorching heat of day with small, seemingly innocuous berries. Dark blue berries that could easily stain fingers. There were dozens of plants with blue berries along the Grand Line, and she hadn’t felt confident in its identification until now.

“Blue ginseng,” she called surely. The Surgeon of Death paused at the door while his subordinates carried their comrade on to the med bay. He turned his razor sharp attention solely on her. She knew in a heartbeat this man would kill for his crew, kill her if he even thought she withheld any information. She gave him everything she had. “On the last island, there was a bush with dark blue berries. I wasn’t sure what it was, there are a lot of plants in the New World, more with blue fruit than one would think. So I didn’t pick it. You have to be really careful. Blue ginseng grows on summer islands where seasonal flooding is common, like a savannah. It has almost identical foliage and berries to actual blueberries, but only the root is edible. The berries and leaves are toxic and can cause serotonin syndrome.”

Golden eyes bore down on her, fingers clenching where his nodachi normally stayed at his side. Alex was sure she was going to die. Finally, the Captain turned away, dismissing her presence, and strode out the mess hall. The loss of his heavy gaze made her feel light-headed. Or was that the adrenaline? “Bepo, take our guest back in her room!” he called over his shoulder before disappearing from view.

Alex’s stomach was doing weird somersaults in her throat. The remaining crew cleared the tables, then shuffled out to return to duty while waiting anxiously on their crewmate’s status. She jumped with a large paw set on her shoulder.

“Thank you for your help, Alex-san. Pardon Captain, he always gets really worked up when one of us is sick.” Then there was a gentle nudge between her shoulder blades and the polar bear mink was guiding her back to her temporary living quarters. It somehow felt much smaller and more stuffy than hours before. There was a resounding _‘clank’_ when the door was shut and locked. Bepo assured that he would keep her updated on how Clione was doing before heading down the hall.

As she sat on her cot, the sounds of the submarine seemed louder than previous days. She found comfort in the gentle rocking as the submarine stayed at the surface and bobbed with the waves.

A few hours later, true to his word, Bepo came back. “Clione woke up and he’s doing much better. Even after the Captain yelled at him about picking and eating stuff he shouldn’t and cut off his hands!” At her horrified look, Bepo backpedaled and hurriedly assured her that his Captain had used his devil fruit and that the appendages could easily be reattached once Clione had learned his lesson.

Then in a more serious tone, Bepo added, “Thank you again, Alex-san. I’m sure Captain would have figured out what happened, but even he told Clione that he could have had longer lasting muscle damage if he hadn’t gotten the right treatment in time.”

Not knowing what else to say, she replied, “You’re welcome. I’m happy to help. Plants are kind of my thing.”

Bepo gave her a toothy grin in response, and Alex found she wasn’t unsettled by it this time.


	4. Of Marines and Bunkmates

By the bitter-sweet grace the New World had to give, first glance at breath told them their next island was inhabited but occupied by Marines. Law could feel the headache setting in already. He instructed Jean Bart and Bepo to anchor on the far side of the bay where the Polar Tang was least likely to be spotted. 

As half the crew prepared to go to land for supplies, he instructed Ikkaku to get Belrose-ya so they could finally uphold their end of the deal. Several barrels of the woman’s payment had already been enjoyed when they anchored at the last summer island. Which, as Clione would explain when his Captain was giving him the third degree, was when he had the bright idea to explore the savanna, inebriated and hungry.

Law made his way to the deck to find their guest had beaten him topside. He stood in the shadows of the door for a moment, contemplating the blonde woman as she shuffled awkwardly out of the way of the crew as they worked. He wondered at how such a scrawny thing could have survived on her own for a year on a summer island in the New World, without more than a few scratches to show for it from what he could see. But looks could be deceiving and her body moved like she knew the rhythm of a boat and the sea well. Her knowledge of medicines and plants made him leary.

There was a low huff from behind him and Law knew immediately it was his navigator. “I like her, Captain. She smells really nice.”

The Heart Pirate’s Captain didn’t reply at first. Bepo liked a lot of things, but he wasn’t usually this vocal about it. It was the third time in as many days his navigator had complemented the women in one way or another. “She asked to be dropped off,” Law finally said. Their end of the bargain would be done, and she could find her own way from here.

Bepo gave another puff that almost sounded exacerbated and Law thought back to a time, prior to Punk Hazard and Zou, when the polar bear mink was not as brassy. He didn’t say anything else though as he nudged past his Captain to take on his First Mate duties now that he no longer needed to navigate.

When he stepped out onto the deck, Belrose-ya approached him with a healthy dose of caution but little sign of fear. “Thank you again for the ride, Captain Trafalgar.”

“Don’t mention it. Literally. Once you step off the Polar Tang, you don’t know us and we don’t know you. There are Marines on the island, and I don’t feel like having to deal with them today.” He noted that she didn’t react to the mention of Marines--negatively or positively. She only nodded her consent.

Soon, the less conspicuous of the Heart Pirates were making their way to land. Law had been serious when he said he didn’t have the patience for Marines. Jean Bart and Bepo stood out the most amongst their crew, and Law would have stayed behind if not to assure that Belrose-ya didn’t immediately go to the Marines once they docked. His crew needed time to gather supplies. His concerns seemed unfounded, however, as the woman was avoiding the Marine lackeys as deftly as they were.

The Heart Pirates crew members split into pairs to do their respective tasks. It looked like his advice to Belrose-ya to forget them was for naught, however, as Shachi and Penguin tugged her towards the market when they asked what she was going to do now. Her immediate response was, “Buy new clothes.” Apparently his men saw that as an invitation to join her.

She did look over her shoulder towards him as she was pulled away. Her expression was contrite and she mouthed the words ‘I’m sorry’ multiple times until she was sure he had gotten her message.

He felt a sense of trepidation rolling down his spine. He realized belatedly he should have told his crew to dump the woman in the bay and sail away from the town if they had wanted to leave this island unbothered. They really needed supplies though, and with how fond Bepo had become of Belrose-ya, Law doubted his navigator would have easily gone with throwing her overboard. Thankfully the log pose would reset in less than two hours. Even his crew would take time to find trouble. By then, they would be ready to leave. Hopefully.

Within an hour of being on the island, however, Law soon realized that the dread he couldn’t seem to shake wasn’t from the Marines.

Law had learned a lot as a child under Doflamingo’s flag and admitting it always left a bitter taste in his mouth. Even more important was a lesson he learned from Corazon, though, but he didn’t fully appreciate it until he was grown and fighting against a world and a man that had taken everything from him. 

Always listen. Listen to your surroundings, to the people talking. Listen to the nobodies as much as you listen to those in power, because information can save your life.

He was listening when he heard two men at the dock, talking about spotting a yellow submarine breach that morning and wondering if the Surgeon of Death was there. If so, did that mean they could call it in and get paid? Did they have to have proof that it was him? How could they even get proof without getting killed?

Interesting.

A quick room and two partially dismembered dock workers led Law to the discovery that someone was paying premium for any leads or information on himself and his crew. They didn’t know who was looking for the information or why. While Law wanted to press more, he knew that tormenting these men any further would result in the fabricated truths people told when they thought it would save their lives. He left the docks, deep in thought, with pleas for mercy echoing behind him as the two tried to piece themselves back together.

Law heaved a sigh and went to gather his crew. Dangers in the New World never ceased.

* * *

Alex was shuffled between Shachi and Penguin. Anytime she tried giving them farewells, to do as their Captain had _told her to do_ , they would spot something at another vendor and pull her along. She frowned and told herself the only reason she was letting them treat her as a ragdoll was to not draw anyone’s attention. The Heart Pirate’s Captain made it clear he wouldn’t tolerate trouble, but couldn’t he control his own crew? At this rate, someone was bound to recognize their jolly roger.

“You said you needed clothes, right Alex-chan?” Shachi asked her, pointing ahead to a clothing shop. It looked like a fairly expensive boutique, likely well out of Alex’s budget having only a few thousand beli on her from before her unexpected vacation on Wayward.

“Yes, but I think I’d be better off shopping for clothes by myself,” she said pointedly. There are some things a single woman shops for that men should not be involved in, like underwear. “Plus, I need to stop by a salon for a cut. I wouldn’t want to drag you all through that.”

Penguin leaned over to whisper in her ear. “Shachi is secretly a diva. He conditions his hair every night and has a longer skin care routine than Ikkaku.”

Shachi countered quickly enough. “Penguin likes to buy and wear silk underwear because he says they don’t chafe as much in the boiler suits.” That left Penguin sputtering denials and ducking to hide a crimson blush. 

Alex threw her head back and laughed freely. She felt conflicted between not wanting to piss off the Surgeon of Death and wishing to spend more time with these goofball pirates. “Won’t your Captain mind? He didn’t seem to want to stick around long.” 

It was her last excuse and a fairly weak one at that if Shachi’s nonchalant wave was anything to go by.

“Nah. Not as long as we aren’t late back to the sub. But we’ve got more than an hour,” the redhead assured. “Come on, I saw a thrift shop back closer to the docks. I’m sure there’s a hair salon between here and there.” With that, he looped a hand through her elbow and continued tugging her around.

Sure enough, the trio came to a thrift shop conveniently nestled beside a metalsmith shop that drew Shachi in immediately. Penguin shrugged when Alex looked at him quizzically. The more subdued man let her enter the shop on her own, standing watch outside for Marines while his partner was next door rummaging through weapons.

The secondhand shop was small but had a decent selection. She spent almost a quarter of the money she had to get a couple shirts, another pair of shorts, underwear that looked close enough to new (beggars couldn’t be choosers), and a flannel that was half her total expense at the shop. 

The shift was in perfect condition, a lovely pattern of moss green and black that complimented her tanned skin, and a little too big on her small frame so she had to roll up the sleeves and tie the front at her waist. Just how she liked it.

By the time she left the shop, Shachi was standing with Penguin flaunting a thick quarterstaff. He was swinging it around, testing the weight and just plain showing off. He also nearly took out a bystander on more than one occasion.

“Shachi! I think you promised a salon?” she called to distract him, trying to keep anymore wary eyes from coming their way. _Is this what their Captain has to deal with all the time?_

The redhead was clearly not to be distracted from his new purchase, however. She hadn’t taken Shachi for a talker, but he prattled off like a kid at Christmas when it came to weapons apparently. “Alex-chan! Like my new quarterstaff? Normally they’re made out of wood, but I keep breaking them. Metal is sturdier but so much heavier, but I’ve been doing more lifting and training.” He paused and brought it closer for her inspection. “This one is steel but it actually has a hollow center to make it a little lighter. And weighted ends for momentum! Have you ever used a staff before? What do you think of the length?”

Alex was speechless at first. Even hollow, the size of the staff meant that Shachi was freely swinging 40 kilograms in the air like a fly swatter. No wonder people were staring. Realizing he was still waiting for a response, Alex’s brain-to-mouth filter decided that would be the perfect moment to stop working.

“I think the size is disproportionate,” she answered bluntly, before realizing what she said the same time Shachi did, both lighting up with fierce blushes. Penguin was rolling on the ground in laughter, however. Alex pondered desperately when she had developed the very bad habit of mouthing off to pirates.

Shachi recovered more quickly than she did and shoved one end of his staff into his crewmate’s stomach. Penguin let out a pronounced _‘oof’_ while clutching his gut. He grabbed her shoulder and pushed her ahead, leaving his partner on the ground. “Come on, I can see a salon sign from here.”

The redhead all but shoved her into the door and said in a very hurried manner that he would grab Penguin and be back to tell her bye before they left. She shook her head and wondered if all pirates were this insane or if Trafalgar collected them that way.

There was a man behind the counter flipping through a magazine. He didn’t acknowledge her presence until she approached and set her a few hundred beli down. “I need your help.”

He had sharp cheekbones with a broad jaw, both accentuated by the spiked angle of his hair. His eyes looked at her critically, particularly at her horrendous split ends. “Oh honey, yes you do.” 

Less than thirty minutes later, her hair had been washed, deep conditioned, and several inches cut off before the stylist--whose name she learned was Noah--gave his approval and let her be on her way.

When she walked out of the salon, hair floating free above her collar bones and her head feeling lighter than it had in over a year, Alex realized Shachi and Penguin were nowhere to be seen. One part of her wanted to be miffed that they had likely already left without saying goodbye. Another more realistic part said they were pirates and could do what they wanted.

Deciding that finding a cheap room and food was next on her agenda, Alex made her way down the street. She headed vaguely in the direction of the docks, reasoning out that it would be cheaper, and a small part of her hoping to see a yellow submarine off before it submerged. 

Around the corner, there was a loud commotion and curiosity beat out common sense to steer clear like the rest of the citizens. As she poked her head around, a Marine flew past her and crashed into a hat stall that collapsed under his weight. Common sense should have also dictated she turn around and leave promptly, however the large metal stick being swung around made her pause.

Shachi and Penguin were fighting off a small squadron of Marines, all lower rank and likely general patrol who happened upon the Heart Pirates. Alex almost felt relieved that they hadn’t just ditched her and likely had to make a quick escape to avoid confrontation. Which seemed to have failed. 

They didn’t seem to be doing too bad despite being outnumbered ten to one. Penguin was fighting with his fists and Shachi was wielding his new quarterstaff deftly. The Marines in front and behind them only had their swords and rifles, which at close range like this were next to useless. They should have had pistols instead.

 _Who trained these idiots?_ Alex thought idly, inching back to avoid another Marine crashing at her feet. She toed him with her boot and determined he was alive but out cold. Interesting that neither Heart Pirate were going for kills.

Then there was movement out of the corner of her eye, up on the rooftops, where a gunman had set up, rifle at a much more effective distance than on the streets. Before she could stop herself, Alex reached down for the fallen Marine’s rifle, cocked and fired.

The resounding _BANG_ and the Marine falling from the roof had everyone’s attention. Quickly, she was the center of attention of a dozen Marines and two pirates, barrel still smoking and her hands steady on the stock and trigger. There was a groan from the man where he had fallen onto a canopy below, the bullet having gone straight through his firing hand.

Without much thought, she swung her sights around to the Marines closest to Shachi and Penguin. “So I don’t think this is what your Captain meant by staying out of trouble guys.”

One of the Marines nearest her was looking at her more closely now, glancing briefly at her stance and aim. Then Alex spotted the Captain bars on his uniform and cursed.

“I like your haircut, Alex-chan!” Shachi called. A Marine thought to take advantage of the redhead’s distraction, but another resounding _BANG_ had the sword poised to swing dropping to the ground. Another through and through to the hand as the man dropped to his knees with a holler. This seemed to wake the Heart Pirates from their momentary stupor and four additional Marines dropped to the ground from fists and staff while the Captain approached her with a critical eye.

“I recognize you.” He was certain of himself. He stood in front of her another moment while his men fought the two pirates behind him, then there was a shift in his stance where he actually let his guard down and lowered his sword. “Yes, Bankhart Ally! Your Captain Bankhart’s sister. Former Commodore Bankhart’s daughter! You were kidnapped two years ago. Please ma’am, tell me! Are these the horrible men who killed Captain Gifflet and took you hostage? Fear not, for I’ve already called for back-up, and we will assure your safe return to your family!”

Alex’s ears were ringing and her thoughts went offline. Her past had finally caught up to her and _they didn’t know she was the one who did it_.

Just as Shachi felled the last of the lackeys present, there was an echoing footfall on either side of the street indicating dozens more Marines arriving to take their place. Neither Heart Pirate looked too winded but they were surrounded and the new Marines had arrived better equipped.

“Ms. Bankhart. I know you must be traumatized by your time with these low life pirates, but please allow me to help. My name is Captain Rupert. I can take you to your brother. Lower the weapon, there’s no need to defend these horrendous criminals anymore. You’re safe with us.”

That set off a spark.

“Like hell I am,” she hissed. The Captain had gotten too close, but before he could blink, she had taken the barrel of the gun, swung the stock with all her might, and railed the man in the head. He dropped like a bag of bricks.

Penguin hurried to her side, whistling as he stepped over the fallen Captain. “Damn, Alex, you’ve got aim and an arm.”

Before any further exchange between the Heart Pirates and Marines could take place, there was a subtle change in pressure and the surroundings took on a blue tint. They were in a Room. The Surgeon of Death, with his fingers marked with DEATH and nodachi slung casually over his shoulder, stepped out from the doorway of a shop. Shachi and Penguin began shifting around like children who snuck into the cookie jar.

“Captain! How long have you been there?” the redhead asked, lowering his staff like he was trying to hide it from view. Alex figured his showing off was what had attracted the attention of the Marines in the first place.

“Long enough to see someone is a good shot,” his tone was almost too casual as he stepped forward, looking between the fallen Marine Captain, the discarded rifle, and Alex before finally settling his attention on his subordinates. “We’ve not been in a town in several weeks. I figured you’d get into trouble regardless of what I said, so I thought I’d let you blow off some steam. Bepo called on the baby Den Den Mushi and said the log pose has reset. It’s time to go.”

Both Heart Pirates gave salutes with an ‘Aye Captain!’ While Trafalgar turned to cut them a path through the Marines to get back to port, Alex found Shachi once again grabbing her by the wrist and tugging her along. She was too mesmerized (was that too positive a word for it?) by the screams of grown men with heads and limbs flying through the air and attaching themselves in completely haphazard fashion to put up a fight.

Even though they ran to where the dinghy had been docked, no Marines bothered giving chase because there were none left with two legs to stand (let alone run). Trafalgar D. Law had decimated their numbers in a matter of minutes, leaving behind what could have been a massacre but instead was an unruly mess of dismembered but _alive_ Marines.

They piled into the dinghy, Trafalgar watching at the back, sword at the ready if he had to protect his crew. Once they rowed across the bay to where the submarine rocked and waited, they were hauled up.

Which is how Alex found herself standing once again on the deck of the Polar Tang. The Heart Pirates were quickly taking things below deck, trying to get ready as quickly as possible following the scuffle with the Marines in case there were reinforcements on the way. 

Trafalgar was over-seeing the proceedings, his eyes never quite leaving the dock or the horizon. Then his gaze caught hers and pinned her in place. She resisted the urge to squirm. "How is it you're back on my sub? I'm afraid you don't have any payment this time, unless you have another million beli worth of spirits in your bag."

She couldn't read his expression. His smirk didn't match the lines of his eyes, just as his casual tone was at odds the seriousness of his inquiry.

Before she could lose her nerve, she folded forward into a bow. "Please let me join your crew!"

There was dead silence on the deck now, and Alex realizes belatedly she probably should have asked to speak to the Captain in private. Too late now.

“I don’t tolerate liars to join my crew, Bankhart-ya. Isn’t that what the Marine called you?" he asked in the same laid back tone. "He seemed to recognize you fairly quickly for a name and face I don’t ever recall seeing on a wanted poster.”

Alex felt her whole body tense at the name and she grimaced. “I haven’t lied,” she insisted. “My full name is Alexandra. Ally and Alex are both derivatives. My father’s family name is Bankhart but my mother’s maiden name was Belrose. I took it when I left the Marines two years ago. I said I was the black sheep of the family, but now I don't even think that they know it.”

“So you’ve done something horrendous enough that you had to run away from the Marines, change your name, and never contact your family again?” Law asked, that smirk still in place. She thought he seemed entertained at the idea of her being a wanted woman.

“I murdered a Marine Captain,” she told him point blank. No sugar coating, no dancing around the fact. She spoke the words aloud for the first time. “Two years ago I sat across from a cruel and sadistic man, sharing dinner with someone who hours before had ordered the massacre of a small village that had made the mistake of asking the Government for assistance with a plague.” She tasted the same bile and grief on the back of her tongue as she had then. “It wasn’t a plague though. I knew it wasn’t because I recognized their symptoms. The Captain knew it wasn’t because the Government had told him so. Their crops were being poisoned by toxic material the Government had buried on the island decades ago which had started leaching into the soil. In turn, it contaminated the food supply.

“He was bragging about not helping them, saying they earned their lot because of circumstances outside their control. He started talking about combing the island for the women and children that had fled the village. Leave no witnesses.” His words still rung hollowly in her ears.

“And he just told you all this?” While the Captain didn’t sound skeptical exactly, he was a practical man with a critical eye for detail. She was surprised to find his gaze wasn’t on her anymore, and he was just looking at his hand. DEATH flashed on his fingers as he slowly opened and closed his fist. The man in front of her suddenly seemed miles and seas away. Then there was a shift and he was back with his golden eyes watching her sharply.

“I think he forgot that I was there. Not about me actually being there, but the fact that I wasn’t a Government lackey or his subordinate or even _his_. The dinner was his way to romance me, so in his mind I already belonged to him. A meek, lonesome female on a ship full of his subordinates.”

“With knowledge on poisons,” Trafalgar was grinning again and Alex thought off-handedly that it would be a handsome smile if not for the context of their conversation.

“Any substance--even medicine--is capable of being poisonous if too much is consumed,” she defended but realized she was emphasizing his point when he raised a brow. “Yes, I poisoned his tea. I put him down with more mercy than he ever showed those villagers, and I never looked back once. I didn’t even know the Marines never suspected me until I ran into them here. I don’t even know what they think happened, but I don’t regret a damn thing about what I did.”

“That doesn’t explain to me why you have to join my crew. Like you said, they don’t suspect you’ve done anything. Why not go back home?” Law pressed further.

“I left it for a reason! I need to see the world, to learn what I can. I’m damn good at what I do but there’s still so much about medicines along the Grand Line that nobody knows! I can’t do that if I’m _stuck_ there or in a Marine fort.” Her fists were balled and she felt a scream bubble up in her throat. She tamped it down. “If I go back now, they’ll question where I’ve been for the past two years and what happened when I left. They won’t know who Belrose Alex is. _Please, let me come with you._ ”

Trafalgar gave a dry chuckle and threw a thumb over his shoulder to the rest of the crew, watching. "May as well let you join. You've been spotted with my crew now, and you shot two Marines and knocked out another. Can't have them bringing you in and giving secrets away."

The tension left her body so quickly Alex thought she may tilt over. The casualness of the gesture made her realize he had planned to have her join his crew even before she had asked. Maybe before they had even reached this island and run into the Marines. Their exchange just now had been a kind of test, and she had _passed_.

"Ikkaku! Help your new bunkmate take her things to the women's quarters. She'll be staying on a more permanent basis."

There was a pause where the only sound on the deck was the call of the gulls and the breaking of waves. Then all at once, the crew broke into rambunctious hollers and laughter, and Alex found herself hoisted onto Bepo's shoulders with her new crewmates crowding around.

“Get below deck! We’re submerging until we clear this island’s sights,” her new Captain called. 

Bepo set her down and Ikkaku immediately descended upon her. The head mechanic’s elation at another woman on board was clear, saying they had to hold their own against the boys, her expression more open than any other time Alex had talked to her in the first week. She felt a rush of excitement and belonging engulf her as the crew hooted and hollered, dispersing to their respective posts so they could submerge and leave.

As the Polar Tang dipped below the waves, with thick metal walls protecting them from the crushing weight of the sea, Alex hoped she had found a place for herself in the Grand Line.


	5. Of Charts and Shakes

“You cut your hair,” Ikkaku points out as they move Alex’s cot from her cell into the women’s quarters, which has clearly only housed the head mechanic to this point. There are blueprints and tools lying all around. The brunette tells her to just shove everything in a corner and she would sort through it later.

Alex found her fingers running absentmindedly through her hair and coming up several inches shorter than she was used to even before her time on Wayward. Noah had said six inches  _ had to go _ \--too much damage from the sun and salt, too long without proper combing. It would be awhile before she could braid it again.

“Ah, yeah. It looked like a rat’s nest. In fact, I think the guy who cut it may have pulled a couple out,” she replied, setting her bag down on her cot.

Ikkaku looked forlorn as she tugged on her curly strands. “At least yours has some nice wave to it. I can’t do anything with this bristle pad on my head. It has a mind of its own. Hence,  _ the hat _ !” Sure enough, when she pulled the hat off her head in a  _ ta-da _ fashion, her hair seemed to grow, adding on another few inches of height for the already taller woman. Indeed as Ikkaku turned her head, her hair seemed to move on its own.

“...can you hide tools in there?” Alex asked in genuine curiosity.

Suddenly, Ikkaku was cackling like a hyena which prompted Alex to join at the absurdity of her own question, until they were both rolling around on their cots with stitches in their side. When one of them would start calming down, the other would start back up again, and the cycle would continue.

When the door opened and a familiar redhead moseyed in without preamble, the two were actively trying to see if a screwdriver would stay in her frizzy locks. He took a look at the two grown women doubled over in laughter and immediately stepped back out until just his head was visible around the doorway. “I’m not sure if this was a great idea,” he stated, clearly indicating their bunking together.

Ikkaku took a large wrench from under her bed and chucked it at Shachi’s head, missing by only a couple strands of hair. “Damnit, you fucking carrot top, I’ve told you to  _ knock _ !”

Shachi just waved her off, repositioning his hat and sunglasses that had almost fallen off when he ducked. “Whatever hag. Captain asked me to get Alex-chan and bring her to the med bay for her physical.”

“Physical?” Alex asked warily, coming to the realization that the Surgeon of Death had just become her doctor as well as her Captain.

Ikkaku stopped glaring at their crewmate to face and assure Alex. “Captain likes to have a medical record for every crew member. He takes his job as our doctor really seriously.”

“Once, after a fight with the Marines,” Shachi interjected, “Yachi tried hiding the fact he had gotten stabbed in the side. Captain found out after Yachi had passed out in the kitchen. It hadn’t bled much so he didn’t go to medical, but turns out it had punctured his lung which collapsed. Captain was pissed. Tied Yachi to the bed while he healed and made Uni cook. We all suffered for that.”

Ikkaku leaned back on her cot, humming in agreement. “Yeah, Captain can sure be sadistic sometimes.” 

They seemed to have lost sight of the fact they were trying to comfort their new crewmate, but Alex felt like it was a lost cause considering she already knew the man had cut off his subordinate’s hands after Clione had stupidly eaten an unknown berry and poisoned himself. Unfortunately, she found herself agreeing with the Captain’s logic.

Alex stood. “Alright Shachi. Take me to our fearless leader.” Shachi was looking at her like she had grown two heads, while Ikkaku had taken up cackling again.

He led her down a different set of hallways, now accessible to her as an official Heart Pirate. Shachi gave her the official run down of the submarine as they made their way to the med bay. “The Polar Tang has four levels. The bridge, engine room, observation deck, and torpedo room are on the bottom most level of the submarine. This level has the bunks, washrooms, and mess hall. There’s also a training room but you have to get to it from the bottom level if we’re submerged. Above us is storage and the med bay with an operating room, an infirmary, medical supply, and Captain’s office. Captain also has quarters on this level, but he hardly ever uses them. Then the top level is the deck and entryway, where we keep all the docking and sailing supplies. Otherwise they’d get swept away when we submerge.”

He paused to point to a wide ladder and hatch going to the floor below. “Top level to here has stairs that you’ve already used. There are also ladders between each floor because sometimes those are quicker. Only way to reach the bottom level is by ladder, though.”

They continued on down the hall and made their way up the stairs. Another short hall greeted them as they rounded a corner. Shachi opened the door and motioned her on.

Alex admired the set-up and array of equipment on display. The main room was set up as an infirmary or recovery room of sorts with a row of cots bolted into the floor along one wall and cabinets of supplies along the other. Each cot had an IV pole anchored into the wall and several portable heart monitors were placed in the corner. On the far wall, there was a large window that looked into an operating suite, the door fully shut likely to keep the room sterile. 

Shachi led her to another room off across the main entryway. This time, Shachi did knock before he opened the door, poking his head in. “I brought Alex-chan, Captain.”

There was a grunted response and Alex wasn’t sure what he had said, but Shachi seemed to understand perfectly. He stepped aside and left the med bay.

She turned to observe the small space. Captain Trafalgar was sitting at a table with a wide array of empty vials, filled syringes, and a medical chart.

“Are you afraid of needles?” he asked point blank, not bothering to look up as he pulled out a pair of gloves and alcohol swabs.

“No,” she answered honestly, then closed the door behind her and walked over to the table. She was short enough she had to hop onto the edge and wiggle her way on. When she was looking back up at her Captain, he was giving her an odd look. She couldn’t help but puff up defiantly. “You need a stool.”

He didn’t say anything at first before grabbing what she assumed was her chart and making a note. “No one else on the crew is as short as you. We’ve not needed one.”

“I’m hardly short. Your table is just ridiculously tall,” she defended, resisting to stick her tongue out at him. Thankfully, her self preservation had returned. Alex was sure her recent lack of filter was sure to rear its head again in the future. Hopefully not until the incident with the Marines had faded from recent memory.

“How tall  _ are _ you?” He asked a perfectly reasonable, medically-related question, but his tone suggested he was trying to rile her. She wouldn’t give him anymore justification for rearranging her body parts than he already had after today.

“168 centimeters.”

He made a notation in her chart. “Date of birth?”

“December 10th. I’m twenty-three,” she supplied.

“Do you know your blood type?”

“Type S.”

He paused to look at another file, a log of sorts. “We’re short on bags of S. Would you be opposed to donating for emergency situations?” She shook her head and he made another mark. “Good. Have you ever had any childhood illnesses?”

“Not that I’m aware.” 

More  _ scratch, scratch _ of pen on paper. “Any significant injuries or surgeries in the past?”

“Nope.”

“Do you have any allergies?”

“Wheat.”

Law’s writing on her chart paused. “Wheat?”

Alex was caught off-guard by the intensity of his gaze. “Yes? I already talked to Yachi within the first couple of days I was onboard. I was checking with him which foods would be safe for me to eat, and he said that he would check on everything.”

Her Captain set his pen down and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “So that’s why he asked for almond flour to be added to the supply list.”

She grimaced and sat on her hands to resist the urge to fidget. “I thought he would have already mentioned it to you. He told me what he was making didn’t have any wheat or wheat flour in it. There’s no need to purchase anything special. If I know what foods have wheat in them, I can avoid them. No problem.”

Law lowered his hand from his face and the gold of his eyes had a steely edge. “And what kind of reaction do you have if you eat wheat, Belrose-ya?”

“Ah...I mean, I usually get itchy. Hives and sometimes short of breath. I know that can be pretty serious, but I’ve never had full anaphylaxis and I’m good at avoiding stuff with wheat in it. They gave me epinephrine shots before in case my reactions ever got worse. It’s no problem to carry those around. I know it’s a lot of extra hassle to get those supplies and wheat flour is much cheaper than alternatives.” She knew because the Marine chefs had told her exactly how much those extra supplied would cost when she asked them.

The man gave her a level look then took a deep level breath through his nose. “It’s not a matter of being a hassle. I take the health of my crew very seriously and you should learn that. I am your Captain now. I am also your  _ doctor _ . I don’t give a damn what those shitty Marines had you do. The last thing I need is you going into anaphylaxis in the middle of the goddamn Grand Line. You'll get someone killed, potentially not just yourself. Now, are there any  _ other _ health issues that I should know about?”

She shook her head meekly.

“Good.” He started writing quickly on a notepad on the table. “I’m going to get you a set of epinephrine shots for when we’re at ports in case you have a reaction. Don’t worry about carrying them around on the Polar Tang. We can control what’s on the sub but not what’s on islands. I’ll talk more with Yachi about substitutes and run the numbers by Ichimaru.” He must have sensed her doubt because the shift from doctor to Captain was palpable. “I work to keep my crew safe even from themselves. I don’t need you malnourished or having allergic reactions. You work for your place on this sub. Got it?”

Alex wanted to be embarrassed by the talking down but instead all she could feel was admiration and respect for a man who really cared for his subordinates. “Aye, Captain!”

He gave her an odd look but continued on with his tests and questions. 

After putting on a pair of gloves, he poked and prodded, taking notes of any scars or marks. His hands were shockingly warm as he assessed the pulse in her wrist. As he listened to her heart and lungs, the diaphragm of the stethoscope wasn’t ice cold to touch, and she idly realized he had held it in his palm for a minute before pressing it against her skin.

Trafalgar said very little as he flowed seamlessly from one part of the exam to the next. He took a couple vials of blood and true to her word, Alex didn’t so much as flinch at the needles or tubes. Once he was finished, he placed a cotton ball and tape over the crook of her arm. “Put pressure on that and stay here.” With that, he took her samples to another part of the med bay. It was close to thirty minutes before he came back, pieces of paper in hand which he promptly placed in her folder.

Then he turned toward her. “Room.” Alex got moderately nervous when he picked up a scalpel and made a swiping motion in her direction. “Scan.”

She remained quiet as his brows furrowed, not wanting to break his concentration and have him accidentally cut her in half or some other bizarre reaction. Then the pressure of the Room subsided and her Captain set the scalpel down.

“What was that technique?” Alex finally broke her silence, interest peaked and watching his hands intently. She knew a little about his devil fruit, but only from stories and what she had seen him use prior.

“Scan. Using a blade, I can direct my devil fruit ability to scan for any object or substance within the Room. I didn’t see anything abnormal with it, but your blood work showed significant iron deficiency. You’re underweight, your resting heart rate is elevated, and you had a difficult time keeping up with us when we were running from the Marines. You likely don’t notice the chronic fatigue and muscle aches as much because you’ve been getting regular meals with the crew, but it’s all likely from a lack of protein during the year you spent stranded.”

He pulled a bottle out of his pocket and tossed it to her. She almost didn’t catch it when it bounced off her lap. “Those are iron supplements. Take one pill three times a day for the next couple weeks and have Yachi start doubling your protein for the time being until we can get you back to a healthy weight.”

“Yeah, okay. I can do that,” she assured. Alex could be a compliant patient. No problem. She definitely didn’t want to be on the receiving end of this man’s torment and torture if he thought she wasn’t taking care of herself.

With a last round of instructions to have blood work again in a couple weeks to check her iron levels, Trafalgar released Alex. She gave him a sassy salute and meandered out the examination room, lingering just long enough in the infirmary to admire the supplies and books stacked on shelves, then tried finding her way back to the women’s quarters.

She succeeded after an hour or so.

* * *

It was dinner time on the Polar Tang, her first meal with the crew as an official Heart Pirate. Everyone was even more rambunctious than normal, celebrating their new crew mate and looking for any reason to delve further into the booze supply Alex had traded for her passage off Wayward. 

Shachi and Ikkaku were assuring her that they would have a proper celebration once they anchored at an appropriate island where they could give her a full Heart Pirate Welcome, and Alex was basking in the cheer and merriment.  But she glared at Trafalgar as he entered the mess hall and walked to the kitchen window to talk with Yachi. For one major reason. 

That reason being the disgustingly brownish-green protein shake in her hands that Yachi had forced upon her when she got her meal tray for dinner. She had assumed that doubling her protein would mean an extra serving or two of fish, a few more beans here and there. She had assumed wrong. Instead, she was gifted a foul-smelling sludge that had probably been scraped off the side of the Polar Tang and blended with a little bit of fruit to add some sweetness. It fell short by a large margin.

She took a purposeful, large sip of her nasty drink when the Captain glanced to their table and he smirked before strolling back out the mess, likely heading back towards the med bay.

“Uh, Alex-chan, is there a reason you’re giving the Captain major stink eye?” Shachi asked from next to her. His inquiry drew the interest of Bepo and Penguin. They had been looking at her drink in interest since she sat down but hadn’t bothered asking any questions out of politeness.

“Fucking protein shakes,” was her only response before she went back to sipping aggressively on the thick, nasty liquid. None of her crewmates said anything in return and went back to eating their significantly more appetizing meals and boozy drinks.

The Heart Pirates' celebrations lasted well into the night, and Alex didn't let the terrible representation of a protein shake stop her from enjoying herself.


	6. Of Logs and Fish

Alex woke on her cot in the women’s quarters, uncertain what time it was. The room was blanketed in darkness, no light showing through the porthole with them several hundred meters under the sea. No light spilled from under or around the door, latched securely.

Ikkaku didn’t sleep with a night light or anything. Alex assumed it was a learned trait from her time living on a submarine because the complete lack of light was jarring for someone used to looking at the moon and stars every night. In the brig, there had been a window on the door that allowed light from the hallways.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her useless eyes and let her other senses take over. Growing up in the Grand Line with Marines, even on her home island in Paradise, Alex knew what haki was. It was her time on Wayward, however, that she realized that being constantly on alert, having to listen and  _ feel _ as much as she saw, had awakened the kenbunshoku haki within her. Observation haki. It was untrained and relatively unimpressive, but she could sense several hundred meters around her.

Her sixth sense spread out as she concentrated--one meter, two meters, five, ten, twenty. She couldn’t sense the whole submarine, but there was enough activity in the direction of the mess hall to know it must be close to breakfast. Ikkaku was still sleeping in her cot, however, so it wasn’t shift change yet. 

A submarine like the Polar Tang needed constant hands to man her, Shachi had explained last night. Under Bepo’s supervision as first mate, Alex was going to join the day shift, helping to stock the kitchen and med bay, clean the showers and hallways.

Deciding there was no use laying around anymore when there were tasks she could likely help with, Alex rolled out of bed. She only managed to stub her toe twice without so much as a peep to keep from waking her bunkmate. Getting dressed blind was an interesting endeavor, especially putting on the boiler suit Shachi had proudly presented her at dinner. 

Alex supposed the utility of it was practical and it helped with overall morale, but did it have to be so  _ hot _ . She managed to get her legs through, but her arms and buttoning it were a different matter. With a huff, she grabbed her flannel and boots and slipped out into the hall half-dressed. Deciding she didn’t have the patience for  _ all of those buttons _ , she tied the arms of the boiler suit at her waist and slung her flannel on instead.

Penguin walked past as she was leaning against the wall, shoving her feet into boots and lacing them up. “Morning, Alex.” He gave her an awkward wave.

One thing Alex picked up on fairly quickly her first couple days on the Polar Tang was that of the three Heart Pirates she first met on Wayward, Penguin was actually the most reserved. She assumed he was slow to warm-up to new people, as she had seen him plenty of times cracking jokes and wrestling around with Shachi, Bepo, and other more veteran crew members.

“Good morning, Penguin-san. Are you heading to the mess hall?” At his nod of an answer, she grinned. “Great. Mind if I join you?” He didn’t.

They walked in comfortable silence, only passing a few other crew members on their way. Alex realized belatedly this was the earliest she had been to breakfast when a mostly empty room greeted them. Empty save for one person.

“Morning, Captain,” Penguin said as he went to the window to get a tray and a mug of coffee. Alex followed mutely, noting that it was the most relaxed--if not almost sluggish--she had seen the Heart Pirate Captain.

Trafalgar was sitting at the table nearest the door and kitchen window, a couple books stacked to his right, a half-eaten onigiri and a large mug of what she assumed to be coffee on his left, and an old newspaper folded in front of him. The dark lines under his eyes seemed more pronounced and he wasn’t wearing his feathered shirt, but the most jarring part was the missing spotted hat. Looking at the dark hair in disarray, the flat expression on his face, and the fact he hadn’t even acknowledged their presence yet, Alex realized that he had likely just rolled out of bed himself. It was reassuring to know that their Captain was human as well and required sleep. Even if it didn’t seem like he got very much.

Instead of sitting at another table, Penguin sat across from his Captain. He took the mug of coffee on his tray and passed it over to the lethargic man.

It took a full minute before the smell of fresh coffee seemed to register and his tattooed fingers wrapped around the mug to bring it up to his lips. “Hn. Thanks, Penguin.” As he was practically gulping down the steaming beverage, his eyes met hers and he wordlessly raised a brow.

Not waiting for him to ask what she was doing hovering around, she took a seat to Penguin’s left. “Good morning, Captain.” She received a grunt in response. It was more acknowledgement than when they first entered the mess hall.

She downed her protein shake first, successfully not gagging this time at the texture, washing it down immediately with a tall glass of orange juice. Her mouth ran away from her before she could stop it. “That tastes like shit.”

Neither Penguin nor her Captain said anything in response as they ate and drank coffee, respectively, but Trafalgar’s barely there smirk had her shoulders inching away from her ears.

Bepo was the next to join them, looking much too awake for o’six-hundred hours. Alex wondered idly if it was a mink thing. Instead of sitting at another table, Bepo squeezed in next to his Captain who ended up relocated to the very end of the bench. There was hardly any room for him as the polar bear used his paws to eat, and she found herself biting her tongue to stifle laughter. Trafalgar’s dark gaze on her told her she wasn’t entirely successful but he didn’t say anything.

More and more of the crew filed in, most greeting their Captain and other crewmates as they passed to the kitchen window. Once the room was half-full, Trafalgar stood to leave. “Room. Shambles.” A different mug was in his grip, fresh steam rising from the edges. “Bepo, finish showing Belrose-ya around the sub then get her started on her duties. I’ll be in my office.”

Alex was relieved that he was back to calling her Belrose instead of Bankhart.

“Okay, Captain,” the polar bear mink replied while still digging into his food.

Satisfied, Trafalgar left the mess hall with his coffee and books. The newspaper was left at the table.

Shachi set his tray down on her left and plopped on the bench so that Alex was effectively sandwiched between him and Penguin. She looked at him pointedly. He just grinned cheekily and elbowed her as he shoveled a large fork of eggs into his mouth.

They all sat and ate in relative quiet. There was a gradual turnover of crewmates as they came and left for the turning over of shifts. Bepo stood once he was finished, and seeing Alex’s empty tray and drinks, motioned her with one of his large paws to follow him.

Bepo gave her a thorough tour of the Polar Tang, including an actual glimpse of the training room, as well as the observation deck which was likely her new favorite part of the sub. Bepo told her that he split his time between the bridge and observation deck. There was a large table in the room with a wide array of maps and a log pose. The focal point of the room was the large fish-bowl shaped window that looked out into the murky darkness from hundreds of meters deep.

“When we’re closer to the surface, and if the water is calm, you can see pretty far out. I’ll bring you down here when we breach next time. We usually go up to give the filtration system a break and let everyone stretch their legs every few days.”

“I’d really like that. Thank you, Bepo-san.”

The mink became flustered and started shuffling his maps needlessly. “You can just call me Bepo. We’re crewmates now.”

Alex gave the bear a grin. “Actually, shouldn’t I be calling you senpai? You’re kind of my superior now, after all.”

Again, if a bear could blush, Bepo’s fur would be crimson. “No one’s ever called me senpai before…” he muttered, considering.

“Consider me your kohai, Bepo-senpai.” She laughed as the bear scratched at his face, equally embarrassed and pleased. “Where would you like me to start for my duties today?”

Bepo led her back up the ladder and up the stairs to the med bay on the second level. “Captain said since you worked under a doctor before, he wants you to help keep up with medical supplies, as well as helping Yachi for the kitchen supplies. If anything looks low, let either Captain or Ichimaru know.” After a pause and seeing her mildly confused expression, he elaborated. “Ichimaru is our logistics specialist. He’s really good with numbers and keeps tabs on our budget and is responsible for managing our supply lists. He wears the white mask.”

And heaven help her because in this crew of crazy fashion accessories, Alex can immediately picture the man she now knows to be Ichimaru.

“You’ll also be on rotation to clean the showers, kitchen, and hallways, as well as the deck if we’ve surfaced. A lot of weird stuff in the Grand Line likes to stick to submarines underwater,” Bepo continued, leading her over to a small desk in the infirmary nestled between the shelves she was admiring yesterday.

There was a stack of papers with rows and columns of medicines, equipment, and numbers, some highlighted while others were marked out. Barely legible chicken-scratch writing was in the margins. She knew it wasn’t her Captain’s writing because he had hand-written her instructions on her medication battle yesterday. His letters were surprisingly large and loopy.

“Leave it to me, Bepo-senpai,” Alex assured, rolling up her sleeves past her elbows and taking a seat at the desk. For such a large bear, Bepo shuffled quietly out the room, clearly still giddy at someone deferring to his authority.

Several hours later, Alex was at her wits end trying to decipher whoever had left notes on the medical supply logs. By the time she understood that some of the squiggles were actually two or three letters meshed together and not necessarily the person trying to create a new letter of the alphabet, Alex realized that their notes were absolutely useless commentary. 

_ Out of the small red pills in the one cabinet. _

_ Need more tape. And gloves. Can’t those just be re-used? _

_ Can you bleach smelly feet? _ In a different ink color, in the same handwriting,  _ No. _

Alex sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose, feeling her eyes crossing from staring at the rows and columns to cross-reference what was on the sheet and actually in the cabinets.

“Please don’t destroy those papers, Belrose-ya,” a deep voice rumbled from beside her.

She jumped, head snapping to the right where her Captain was leaning against the frame of the now open door to his office. He was wearing his hat now but was still missing his fluffy shirt. She looked back to the papers she had rearranged into stacks, while the one currently in her hand was lightly crumbled from her frustration.

“I would be doing you a favor if I did,” she retorted boldly. “Nothing is in its correct order--or any order for that matter. You don’t even have half the things the logs say you should.”

He tilted his head back, looking down at her with a lofty expression. “I guess it’s a good thing you’re here to fix these problems then, right Belrose-ya?” It was a challenge, and damned if she didn’t rise to his bait again.

Before she could respond, he stepped back into his office and closed the door.

Deciding now would be as good a time as any to take a break before she did actually set fire to the supply logs, she left the med bay to head to the kitchen. She waited for Yachi to motion her in before entering his domain and explaining that she was here to help with the kitchen supply logs. Without further questioning, Yachi corralled her to a tall stool by the kitchen window, then plopped a large binder and another god-awful protein shake in front of her.

Thankfully, the kitchen logs were in much better order than the med bay logs. She was flipping through the last couple weeks' records to familiarize herself with common items when the last page caught her eye. The newest entry had wheat flour scratched out with almond flour written on the line underneath with an estimated cost per kg. There were also lines for coconut flour, corn flour, and oat flour, all with question marks next to them.

She pointed these out to Yachi.

“Captain asked me to find a few different wheat alternatives, but I’m not familiar cooking or baking with a lot of them, so we’re only going to get smaller batches of those to see what’s feasible.” 

Entirely unwarranted, Alex suddenly found tears in her eyes, a rush of appreciation and affection for these people she hardly knew flowing through her.

Yachi saw her watery eyes and immediately started trying to console her, though. “Lass! What’s wrong? Captain won’t give you a hard time. He’s your Captain and a doctor, and I’m your cook! We’re going to take care of you.”

Alex shook her head. “Nah, I know that, Yachi-san. I’m just so happy to be here with you all, ya’ know?” she said smiling and laughing, trying to wipe away the tears before anyone in the mess hall saw or heard them. She didn’t want to give anyone the idea that she was a regular crier.

The cook puffed up proudly in front of her, swinging around the spatula he hadn’t bothered to put down. “Of course, lass! And the Heart Pirates are happy to have another bright heart on board!”

There was an echoing ‘Aye!’ from the mess hall, and Alex peeked her head around the corner to see several of their crewmates out sitting for lunch. She felt her face flush as they grinned and hollered they were glad to have her aboard.

What had been a thrum of excitement and belonging had settled itself firmly inside her ribs, filling her with warmness. This crew may be kooky, but they were her kooky now.

* * *

The crew of the Polar Tang fell into a rhythm for the next couple weeks while at sea. With her time split between the med bay, the kitchen, and general cleaning chores, it took longer than Alex thought it would to organize the medical supply logs to her liking. There were also a few long evenings where she decided the cabinets and storage rooms were a mess, and a lot of usable space opened up when things were properly arranged and empty boxes tossed out.

By the time she was finished, there was an actual filing system, medication bottles were organized by name on labeled shelves with corresponding quick reference sheets, and the logs completely updated to show what they actually had.

Confidently, she marched over to her Captain’s office and rapped her knuckles on the steel door. Alex thought idly how little she saw him for how much time she spent in the med bay. He seemed to spend so much time in his office. After a few moments of waiting with no reply, she went back to what she deemed officially her desk, and took out a notepad.

_ Acetaminophen. Amoxicillin. Clindamycin. Magnesium sulfate. Oxycodone. _

_ Gauze. Saline solution. Syringes. _

Alex re-read the list--supplies they were out of or running dangerously low on--a couple of times to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything before grabbing a piece of tape and sticking the note to the Captain’s door.

She left the med bay and was making her way to the kitchen when the intercom came on overhead.  _ ‘We’re about a kilometer out from the next island. Prepare to breach,” _ was Bepo’s command.

There was little Alex had to do until they fully ascended, as she wasn’t part of the controls or engines teams. Instead, she made her way to the entryway on the deck level so she could help prepare the sails if they were needed.

The slight increase in swaying motion was the only indicator that they were at the surface as waves pushed and pulled the Polar Tang. As she bounded up the stairs, late evening sunlight poured through the windows of the entryway. Despite having surfaced several times in the past couple weeks, the experience of the sub breaching was still novel compared to all the years she spent on a ship. Her time underwater didn’t bother her near as much as she thought it would.

Two of her crewmates, Eddy with unruly brown hair and Freddy with a bowler hat, were already at the entry level, tossing light-hearted insults back and forth at one another as they pulled out buckets and mops for the deck. Alex had learned the two were brothers, picked up by Law in Paradise just before they made it to Sabaody. Eddy seemed to always be frowning, while his brother Freddy always had a wicked grin painted on his face.

“Yo-yo, Alex. Eager to see a new island? I bet any island is better than that buggy island you called home.” Eddy always seemed to forget that she wasn’t new to traveling the Grand Line and that she was not in fact originally from the bug-infested Wayward.

“Ya-ya, you helping swab?” Freddy butted in, ignoring his brother. He was also already handing her a mop, so she supposed she was.

_ “Plan on docking. We’ll be here for awhile. Log pose resets in 4 days.” _ It was their Captain this time. He must have been in the bridge getting ready for their next destination this whole time.

By the time the Polar Tang was approaching the port town, the deck was dried and bustling with activity as the crew prepared to tie down and dock. Their movements were succinct and well-trained, and the submarine was moored in less than a half-hour.

There were no Marines stationed on this island, and the locals were neither welcoming nor rebuffing of pirates. Money was money so long as they didn’t cause trouble. So with their Captain’s permission to explore the island freely--within reason--Alex was eager to set out with her crewmates.

Trafalgar’s only hard rule was to go in pairs, because if trouble  _ did _ find them, they would have back-up. Himself being the exception, of course, because he was an ex-warlord, supernova, and one of the Worst Generation. He could dispatch trouble easily, and no one ever argued.

While the men went to bars and the more questionable districts of the town, Alex approached Bepo who didn’t really drink and wasn’t likely to find any lady bears to make friends with. 

“Bepo-senpai, would you like to accompany me? I’m thinking of exploring the local wildlife. We may even be able to find some fresh fish.” Alex didn’t want to think she was manipulating the poor bear to agree, but the eager glint in his eyes and drooling maw were easy enough to anticipate. He wore his weaknesses on his sleeve.

And so they set off to the town’s edge.

The island was a spring climate, seemingly more tame than most in the New World, but looks could be deceiving. The forest outside the town had tall, sprawling trees whose roots even Bepo could walk underneath like an archway. There were large flowered vines growing up the trunks of the trees, reaching for any gaps in the canopy where sunlight spilled through. It was beautiful.

Turns out things were as deadly as they were beautiful in the trees, though.

Alex was glad she had asked Bepo to join her, not just for his company, but also for his fighting ability after they came upon more than one horse-sized lizard with rows of teeth the size of her pinky finger. She idly wondered if her bug bombs would work on reptiles, but it was nothing more than a passing through before the polar bear made quick work of their unwelcome guests.

They did end up finding fish, in a small lake a couple hours hike inland. While Bepo swam happily, popping up every now and then with a mouthful of fish, Alex studied the flora along the lakeside. When he called for her to join him, the thought of something lurking in beneath the surface made her decline. She didn’t have the skills or the durability of a mink.

Instead, she sat at the water’s edge, taking in her surroundings. She pulled out her journal to write down as much information about the flora and climate as possible.

After a couple more hours, when Bepo’s stomach was full and Alex had filled several pages with notes, they made their way back into town.

Ichimaru had given Alex her first allowance once they docked, telling her that each crew member was given spending money for personal supplies. Since she had only recently joined the crew and had very few belongings, Captain Trafalgar had given Ichimaru permission to give her a ‘loan’ in addition to her allowance to purchase personal effects.

Not eager to spend more of the borrowed funds than necessary, Alex asked Bepo if they could stop by a couple stores before they made their way back to the ship. He agreed and she made quick work of her shopping. A clothing store, a bookstore, and the local pharmacy completed her list easily enough.

Bepo asked her about her purchases.

She lifted her first bag. “This is a spring island but they still sell some sturdier clothes for their colder months. My winter island apparel is significantly lacking.”

“I don’t need anything extra for the winter islands,” he stated, not quite smugly but there was some underlying pride.

“I know you have a built-in coat, but not all of us are as lucky,” she laughed, taking the opportunity to reach on her tiptoes and poke the polar bear mink in the cheek. His fur was unfairly soft. She told him so, and he immediately became flustered.

She held up a pile of slats strapped together with thick straps. “This is a plant press. It’s really useful for saving flora samples to examine later. Keeps them from rotting or taking up as much room.”

Then she held up her last and heaviest bag. “These are just blank journals to record anything interesting about the islands we go to. I used to have a bunch of notebooks when I was traveling with the Marines, but I had to leave them all behind when I…” she paused, words catching in her throat. Bepo just nodded his head along in understanding. “But yeah, I didn’t have room for a bunch of books when I was traveling by myself. I do now, though. If I can convince Ikkaku to let me have some of the corner space in our room for a bookshelf. Otherwise, they’ll just have to stay under my cot.”

The Polar Tang was in sight, yellow hull bobbing up and down in the water. Once they got to the dock and boarded, Alex and Bepo agreed to go back out of town again the next day. The promise of fish was too tempting for the poor mink, and he had nothing better to do while they were waiting for the log pose to reset.

While Bepo laid down on the deck to take a nap, Alex went down to the women’s quarters to put her new purchases away. Afterwards, she made her way through the submarine to do her respective chores for the day, mentally identifying and cataloging the plants she saw today. None of them were new to her, but they had explored only a small part of the island.

The anticipation of further exploration nearly kept her up that night. She fell asleep to dreams of giant fish and mini-Bepo's swimming in a crystal clear lake.


	7. Of Desks and Beaches

Three more days passed on the island, and every morning Alex and Bepo would set out into the forests together.

Eventually, Bepo started asking her questions about what she was doing and looking at. She showed him her records book which had lists of different species organized by habitat and sketches of plants and animals. As they walked through a more familiar part of the forest, she pointed out every plant she had been able to identify, focusing on the ones she knew had medicinal use or that were toxic.

Alex had brought her plant press this time, planning on taking a couple of samples back to the Polar Tang to analyze further. She hoped the Captain would let her borrow a dissecting scope. If she ever saw him to ask, anyways. She always seemed to miss him in the med bay and the mess hall. Her island exploration and duties on the Polar Tang had her hopping all over the place.

“Captain spends a lot of time in his office, doesn’t he?” Alex mused aloud.

“He likes the peace and quiet while he reads or looks at charts,” Bepo replied. “Even when it was just Captain, Shachi, Penguin, and me in the North Blue. Now that there’s more people on board, he feels like that’s the only place he can focus.”

Alex could understand that.

“I also think something has been bothering Captain lately. He has been especially quiet and broody since we left the island after you joined us,” the mink added, scratching behind his ear in thought.

“Since I joined? I didn’t do anything did I?” Alex asked warily. It would be her luck that she had managed to piss off one of the most feared pirates in a generation as soon as she had joined his crew and not even know it.

Bepo immediately backpedaled, paws waving through the air distraught. “Ah! Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. Don’t worry, I don’t think it’s anything you did! I think Captain only had something come up in the port town where we ran into the Marines.”

She decided to trust the bear’s word and pay her new Captain’s behavior no mind. Even if the conversation still sat sour on her stomach. She really didn’t want to wake up in pieces one day.

The two decided to call it earlier than they had previous days. The log pose would be resetting soon and the navigator had to prepare to chart their next course. She also needed to do a final inventory count to see if anything needed to be added to their list before they set off.

Alex dropped her collections in the women’s quarters and made her way to the second level. She paused at the med bay door, though. Captain was sitting at the infirmary desk, looking through the binders. His expression was bored but at least he wasn’t frowning.

“I left a list of supplies needed on your office door,” she spoke up, walking on into the infirmary.

“I gave it to Ichimaru. He and Yachi are doing supply run together. They’ll get everything.” He continued leafing through the pages. “You suggested to Yachi to add ginger and peppermint to the kitchen stores. Why?”

Alex’s answer was knee-jerk. “Bepo said that our next destination was likely a winter island. Colds are common and we live in too tight quarters to risk anyone getting sick. Peppermint has high concentrations of menthol which soothes sore throats and coughs, and ginger has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that supports the immune system. Both have decent shelf lives, especially if dried, and there’s not a decent substitute on this island. I already checked.”

Trafalgar looked up from the binder, giving her a level stare. Alex didn’t look away. She knew plants and their medicinal properties, and she was  _ right _ .

Instead of questioning her, he jumped to a different topic. “Bepo mentioned that you’ve been going out to do research.”

This man was going to give her whiplash. “Ah, yes. Local flora and fauna, ecosystems, climate. But I’ve done it on my own time and I’ve not let it affect my duties on the sub.”

Her Captain just hummed in consideration.

At that moment, Yachi strolled past then backpedaled upon seeing Alex. “Ah, lass! Perfect, I need a second pair of hands in the kitchen. Can I get your help to put things away and update the logs? I’m just sure I forgot something, no matter what Ichimaru says.”

She turned to the cook with a smile. “Sure, Yachi-san, let me just…”

"Alex-ya isn’t helping in the kitchen anymore, Yachi,” Trafalgar interrupted her.

Alex spun back to face her Captain, fury flaring inside her. He was smirking. Did he think she wasn’t doing a good enough job? Was he mad that she told Yachi to add things to the supply list without running it by him first? She was working her ass off keeping everything updated and organized. She knew what they did and didn’t have available for food or medications. It had taken her weeks to organize everything, damnit!

“She has her own duties as our apothecary now, isn’t that right Alex-ya?" he continued matter-of-factly before she could say anything. His smirk grew as her indignation fled and she was left sputtering.

"But I'm not…" Qualified. Schooled. Properly trained.

"You’ve studied for years. I’m hard-pressed to admit that your knowledge on botanicals and pharmaceuticals outmatches mine. I’ve read through your records book…”

“You what?!”

He dismissed her outburst. “...and I wouldn’t offer the position to anyone I thought would accidentally poison the crew.” Well, that was certainly a vote of confidence. His gold eyes narrowed on her. “You told me that your dream was to learn and study medicines. I’m offering you the position to do that. Do you accept?”

Her head was spinning at the prospect. She couldn’t turn him down, not when he was dangling a piece of her greatest dream right in front of her. 

“Yes, Captain,” she replied in a daze.

There was a hoot from Yachi behind her. “Congrats, lass!” Alex had completely forgotten he was there for a moment. “Don’t think this means you’re not welcome back in the kitchen. An old man needs his company every now and then!”

Then he was ambling his way down the hall, hollering to everyone he passed that Alex was their medicine woman now. She flushed and ran a hand through her hair.

“They’re going to want to throw a party now,” her Captain grouched, hands scrubbing over his face. “They never got to celebrate you joining the crew and now here I’ve gone and given you a promotion.” He didn’t actually sound that upset despite the callousness of his words.

He stood from the chair and set the binders down on the desk. “Barry will be in the infirmary tomorrow to add a few shelves above the desk to put your records.” She had to recall who Barry was, sweeping brown hair and a crooked smile. Mechanic and welder. “Feel free to take some space in the storage room to put your specimens. There’s enough room now that you’ve organized it.”

Alex was once again left with the creeping sensation that Trafalgar had already planned for all of this. That it was an inevitable thing that she was going to become their apothecary. Then she thinks back to one of the first impressions she made while they were on the summer island--to the grains and the blue ginseng berries--and realizes maybe it was inevitable after all.

“Thank you, Captain,” she said earnestly.

He just gave her his signature smirk and walked out of the med bay.

Alex sat down at the desk-- _ her desk _ \--to steady her wobbly legs and look at the papers and binders there. Then she started giggling like a madwoman, feeling giddy and high, and didn’t stop laughing until Ikkaku came to get her for dinner.

* * *

As Law predicted, his crew wanted to go ashore to one of the nearby beaches and throw a party for Alex’s promotion. He granted them their request, and then immediately regretted it when Bepo--his once trustworthy, longtime navigator and supposed  _ friend _ \--had physically pulled him from his office to join the merriment.

Of course, the Heart Pirate Captain could have summoned a Room and Shambled his way back to the deck, but Bepo had become increasingly stubborn and strong-willed after their numerous encounters with the Strawhat Pirates. Much to Law’s chagrin. The polar bear mink would never push so far to question his Captain on the battlefield or in the operating room. When it came to  _ socializing _ , however, his first mate thought Law was sorely lacking and was not above ignoring his protests and threats to get the surly man away from the stressors of being their Captain and doctor.

The evening air was crisp on the beach, the warmth of the sun giving way to the chill of the night. Mist from the lapping waves gave the breeze a slight bite, though none of his crew seemed to pay any mind. In fact, they seemed to flourish in this small haven, where the land met the sea and the taste of salt was prominent.

Shachi and Penguin sat on either side of their newest crewmate, the redhead openly antagonizing her about wearing her boiler suit half undone while the quieter man drank from a tankard. Alex was heckling Shachi back in equal measure about his constant need to wear sunglasses  _ regardless of the time of day _ , however, so no one felt the need to interfere.

Yachi had brought the evening’s dinner to the beach. A large bird from the local forest roasted on a spit over hot coals which were constantly being added from the raging bonfire not more than a few meters away. Laughter melded with the crackling of the fire as more driftwood from along the beach was thrown in, the blaze flaring high towards the stars. Law felt a muscle above his left eye twitch. Those idiots would burn down the entire island if they weren’t careful.

Hours into the party and the moon high in the sky, most of the crew had passed out on the beach in various states of inebriation and gluttony. There were a few notable exceptions. Bepo was watching the fire intently, eyes twitching every few seconds to any noise that echoed from the dark forests behind him, discreetly listening for dangers as his crewmates slept soundly around him. Yachi was ambling to and from the Polar Tang, cleaning the dishes and utensils from the meal. Law, of course, was wondering why he was still sitting on the ground and getting sand in places  _ everywhere _ rather than going back to his office to do something more productive.

Then there was the small silhouette on the beach just outside the light of the dimming fire. Law watched the figure closely, recognizing them immediately as one of the two females on his crew based on the cast of shadows along the waist. Looking at the slumbering Ikkaku sprawled out to his right, he hoped his newfound apothecary had better mind than to try going for a swim in the middle of the night. Especially when he was one of the only ones awake and definitely not capable of going in after her if she started to drown.

Law stood and subtly shook the sand loose from his hoodie before walking towards the water’s edge. He didn’t miss the quick glance from Bepo before the mink resumed his fervent stare at the fire.

Alex was wearing the bottom half of the crew’s boiler suit with the arms tied tight around her waist, something he’d seen Ikkaku do a time or two if the engine room became unbearably hot and stuffy when they stayed submerged too long. A black and green flannel swamped her form, with the sleeves unrolled and arms crossed over her chest like she was huddling for warmth. Law didn’t understand why she didn’t just put on the rest of the boiler suit if she was cold. Or put her shoes on for that matter. Her bare toes curled as a wave rolled onshore and swept along her feet.

“How far out can you go before you’re an anchor?” Alex asked, her voice not exactly loud but not easily drowned out by the sound of the sea either. Her eyes never left the rolling black inkiness of the water. The question was casual, like she hadn’t just asked how to incapacitate her Captain. 

Which, Law supposed, was good information to know as he  _ was _ her Captain. She had no Devil Fruit abilities and may very well have to fish him out of the sea if he ever took an unexpected dive into the sea.

“No further than waist deep, but I can feel it draining my energy once it gets to my knees. I could drown with one good wave if it knocked me over,” he informed her morosely, gauging her reaction.

She didn’t give one. Her eyes seemed to reflect the moonlight as she stared out, pondering and considering.

“What about seastone?” Again, a straightforward question with no apparent tact or concerns on how it may be received.

“It’s effects are immediate but it has to be skin contact. I can’t use my Devil Fruit abilities and it feels like I’m moving through tar.” He answered honestly then paused. “You’ve never met anyone with a Devil Fruit before, have you?”

Alex shook her head. “No, I have. But I’ve never really been close to anyone like that.” There was a hidden meaning in those words, but before Law could press further, she continued her train of thought. “Not close enough where I may be responsible for their safety.”

“I’m your Captain, Alex-ya,” Law told her peevishly. He didn’t like the idea that she felt the need to “ _ I’m _ responsible for  _ your _ safety.”

Finally, her gaze broke away from the dark horizon and cornflower blue locked eyes with liquid gold. “What is a Captain without his crew?” she grinned cheekily, as if those words held all the weight in the world.

Law felt the building momentum of childish anger ebb, washing away like the waves receding at their feet. He resisted the urge to look behind him, at the people who had followed him through Paradise, through Wano to this point in the New World.

What is a Captain indeed.

He ignored her question for the rhetoric it was. Instead, he asked a question of his own. “What did you use to kill the Marine Captain?”

He heard her sharp intake, then followed by a forceful exhale of air through closed teeth much like a hiss. She didn’t seem upset, however, only resigned.

“Belladonna.” She reached up and tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear, the rest tied at the nape of her neck. “I used its roots, which contain the greatest concentration of tropane alkaloids out of the entire plant. When ingested, it leads to increased heart rate, delirium, and convulsions. Put the roots in a tea--ginger, honey, and lemon to hide the bitterness--and symptoms onset in less than an hour. Death occurs shortly after.” 

She recited the information like she was reading from a textbook. He wondered idly at her memory and recall.

Law couldn’t help his snort of amusement. “Belladonna? A bit on the nose.”

Alex side eyed him, looking petulant. “Ha ha, yes. A beautiful lady using  _ ‘beautiful lady’ _ to kill a wretched man,” she replied, referring to the name origins.

“I was meaning that ‘deadly nightshade’ seems too conventional for someone who has supposedly studied poisons,” he replied blandly, enjoying the immediate rise he got from his subordinate.

“I studied medicines, too! Not just poisons!” she cried out defiantly. “And belladonna grew on that island where he massacred those poor people, so I thought it a bit of poetic justice. And it  _ was _ convenient,” she replied brazenly. Then she shoved him, without a thought, just as he had seen her do Shachi hours earlier.

Her eyes widened comically as Law reached for his sword. He realized belatedly that he had left it propped next to Bepo by the fire. Alex seemed to come to the same realization at the same time as he. She then  _ stuck her tongue out at him _ before turning back towards their crew and taking off in a run. She skidded to a stop next to Bepo, who now appeared asleep and was using Law’s nodachi as a pillow. Looking back at him with an impudent expression, she laid in the sand next to the mink and used one of his sides as a pillow.

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, because that would be encouraging bad behavior, Law made his way over to the sleeping bear and laid on the side opposite to Alex. He was getting nothing accomplished if he went back to his cabin by this hour, so he may as well get a few hours of sleep.

“Hey Captain?” he heard her call softly after a couple minutes. The fire was little more than embers by now and the loudest sound was the gentle snores of the crew surrounding them. “Thanks for the promotion. I won’t let you down.”

He grunted his acknowledgement then shortly fell asleep against the warmth of his navigator.


	8. Of Rifles and Snow

Alex settled into her new role of apothecary quickly, helped by having already more or less taken over the med bay’s supply log and being intimately familiar with the kitchen’s inventory. There were a lot of herbs, fruits, and vegetables that had medicinal purposes, so Yachi got his wish for her to visit the kitchen regularly. 

She came with recommendations on foods to purchase that could ease some of the burden on their vitamin and mineral supplies. Her suggestions were always well received and never once did Yachi dismiss her or question her judgement. He would occasionally counter that a root would be too bitter or an herb too poignant to place into a particular dish, but often he would look at her list as a refreshing challenge to his culinary skills.

Not everyone was as happy about her position, though. Dunlee was particularly upset to have been displaced from the infirmary.

Dunlee, she found out through Ikkaku, was one of the medical technicians on the sub. He had been the one responsible for the medical supply and log books before she came aboard, and their Captain had given him a chewing out about overlooking so many discrepancies in their supplies that could have resulted in running out at the worst time. Particularly if they had been in a battle where antibiotics or dressings were needed afterwards. With her new role of apothecary, Alex had been given complete control over the med bay's pharmaceutical supplies. Captain still overlooked most of the surgical needs, though. Dunlee had given her heated glares for days afterwards.

He had joined the Heart Pirates because his base knowledge of surgery as the son of a veterinarian was useful to Trafalgar during operations, and the stout man could follow the call of the sea and his dream of being an actual surgeon, even if it was under the tutelage of the Surgeon of Death. After all, their Captain didn’t actually have a medical license; he had been a fugitive from the World Government since he was a child.

Unfortunately, experience with surgeries didn’t equate with competency in the intricate handlings of log books and supplies. Dunlee was therefore relegated back to the cleaning roster unless the operating room was needing prepped.

According to Shachi, the man hadn’t stopped complaining in men’s bunk for days. Dunlee mostly avoided the med bay though, for which Alex was grateful. She didn’t like the idea of usurping anyone’s place on the sub, but the thought of the med bay’s previous chaos eased the guilt. Plus, his handwriting really was atrocious.

It had been a week since her ‘promotion’ and they had been at the seas the entire time. True to word, Barry had been by several days ago to add shelves above her desk. They now held her mostly empty records books. Her plant press sat on the corner of her desk, several specimens inside drying slowly for identification later.

Alex felt a pressure against her ear drums, and she yawned to equalize the discomfort. The Polar Tang must have been ascending.

She made her way to the deck level. While she was no longer required to help with deck prep, she found the routine relaxing. Eddy and Freddy were already there and handed her a mop without second thought.

Within a few minutes of breaching, after verifying that no hostiles were in the area, the crew gradually spilled out onto the deck to bask in the sun. Their Captain told them to do as they pleased as he sat down to lean against Bepo, who was already sprawled on his back and fast asleep. Trafalgar appeared to join his navigator in slumber shortly, his eyes closed and the brim of his hat pulled low. No one dared disturbed him. Alex idly wondered when or even if he ever slept. Every morning without fail, he left the mess hall before her and was always cooped up in his office well after she had called it for the night.

She hopped onto the deck’s railing, swinging her legs around to dangle over the sea. For now, the sub was drifting with the current. They hadn’t bothered to hoist the sails and the engine was off for the time being. Ikkaku was likely doing minor repairs during this short reprieve, as the curly headed woman was nowhere to be seen.

Shachi joined her along the railing, his sunglasses glinting in the sun. The rest of the crew rough-housed and tussled along the deck, mindful of their sleeping Captain and navigator at the bow of the deck.

“What’s up carrot top?” Alex asked.

The redhead scowled. “Damn that Ikkaku. I liked it better before you two started buddying up. She was insufferable already and you’re just as bad.”

“Hoes before bros.”

“That’s...that’s not how that goes!” he sputtered.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I guess you’re right. Ikkaku and I are definitely the bros in this situation. Guess that makes you…?”

“Shachi, don’t respond to that. It’s a trap,” Penguin advised, coming over to join them. His attention was on his female crewmate, though. “Alex, I’ve been meaning to ask you. Back right before you first joined us, when you shot those Marines in the hand.” She wanted to cringe from the callous change in topic but the quiet man seemed genuinely intrigued. She nodded for him to continue. “Where did you learn to shoot like that?”

Alex paused to remember that Penguin was one of the crew’s marksmen and specialized in projectile weapons, including the Polar Tang’s torpedoes.

“I’ve mentioned my family is Marines, right? My father didn’t believe in gender bias and taught me and my brother how to fight and shoot equally. My brother was better at hand-to-hand and swordplay, but I was always the better shot,” she explained.

Penguin looked contemplative. “What are you best with?”

“Rifles,” Alex answered without hesitation. “It’s the most common firearm given to Marine infantrymen, so there were always some to spare for the Commodore to bring home for his girl to try.”

“How good of a shot are you?” Penguin inquired.

“I don’t know, I never really paid attention at the range. I know I could piss off Rear Admiral Booker by shooting off the tip off his cigar from across the Base though, but I had a scope. I’m kinda’ rusty now,” she admitted.

“Let’s find out,” he suggested, already turning away to go below deck. He was back within a couple of minutes and handed her a hefty rifle. It had a bulkier stock than the Marine issued ones with a slightly shorter barrel.

Naturally, Alex found herself bringing it to her shoulder and casting the sites out at sea to the horizon, feeling the comfortable weight against her shoulder. This rifle was probably a pound or two heavier than she was used to, and she was already thinking of the difference in recoil.

She lowered the firearm and looked around the bustle of the deck with a healthy dose of uncertainty. “Are we sure it’s a wise idea to be shooting firearms on deck in the middle of the ocean?”

Penguin shrugged. “I don’t think Captain will mind. Just don’t miss and hit the sub. Or the crew.” Then he lifted a second rifle that he had slung across his back and made his way to the stern. Alex followed, along with a quarter the rest of the crew who had been creeping in on the exchange.

She then proceeded to get demolished by Penguin’s marksmanship skills. They did everything from trick shots to target practice, neither opting to use scopes. Eventually, small disc targets with explosive centers were thrown out over the sea by the crew. Jean Bart could throw the farthest at close to over five-hundred meters with Penguin hitting every one, each disc disappearing in a puff of smoke. Past two-hundred meters, though, Alex’s aim was at its limit. She was always an inch or so off because the discs would go down, but never detonate like Penguin’s.

Regardless, the crew was having a blast, so much so they almost didn’t see the Marine ship on the horizon in time.

“Shit,” Penguin muttered under his breath, then took the rifle from her and slung both over his shoulder. “Better go wake Captain and Bepo.”

Once roused, the Heart Pirate Captain opted to avoid the Marines for the time being. From the intel Bepo had gathered, the crew could be another week at sea before they reached the next island. Maybe two depending on the underwater currents and their luck. There was no need for senseless scuffles when there was always the uncertainty of the New World on the horizon.

Before the Marine ship had even been aware of their presence, the yellow submarine marked with DEATH and its peculiar crew dipped beneath the waves once again.

* * *

Their next destination was indeed a winter island. Jean Bart and Bepo had careful control of the sub, weaving through the ice fields that surrounded the bay. There were clinks and clanks along the metal hull, echoing through the rooms and halls. By the time they docked in the sleepy little port town of Coldton, the crew was itching to get off the sub. Their Captain waved them off before holing himself up in his office.

“Can’t they come up with something more original? Coldton--Cold Town. They literally named their town Cold Town.” Shachi groused.

“It does seem to snow year round here. It’s almost like it’s a _winter island_.” Penguin wised off, dodging the snowball promptly thrown at his face.

Shachi and Penguin wore thick coats over their boiler suits, hats pulled well over their ears, and scarves wrapped tightly around their necks. They had gotten off the ship with booze and food on their minds, not quite mentally prepared for the trek through several feet of snow. They looked...well, _cold_.

In contrast, Alex had only bothered to button up her boiler suits all the way and don the thin coat she had picked up from their last island. 

Bepo was being his normal polar bear self.

"Bepo, I can understand," Shachi said through chattering teeth. "But how the hell can you walk around like that?" He demanded, making a crude wave towards Alex with his elbow because his hands were shoved underneath his arm pits.

Alex laughed, her face flushed from the bite of the cold. "I grew up on a winter island!" She stuck her tongue out to catch a drifting snowflake. "I guess I’m still kinda’ acclimated to it. This isn't much different than back at Dumbbell."

"Dumbbell? That's an island in Paradise. Close to Sabaody," Bepo said, plopping down in a snow drift to roll around.

She hummed in agreement. 

"How did it get a name like Dumbbell?" Penguin asked. He wasn't shivering as much as Shachi, but his words had a sluggish quality like his face had gone numb.

"For its shape," Alex started then decided it would probably be better to take their conversation elsewhere. Shachi’s lips were turning blue. "Come on, let's find food." She turned and motioned for the two men to follow her. Best to get them inside a bar or tavern to warm up. Frostbite was a bitch, plus she was having to yell over the wind.

Bepo reluctantly got up from his snow pile and followed his human crewmates to the nearest tavern. Thankfully, they didn’t have to travel long or far to find one in the small town.

Alex nearly shoved her near-frozen crewmates inside and sat them close to the tavern's broad fireplace. She and Bepo sat opposite to them.

"Tell us more about where you came from, Alex-chan!" Shachi demanded, taking his hands from his gloves and practically shoving them in the fire.

“Were there any female bears?" Bepo pressed almost shyly from beside her. He looked heartbroken when he told her no, they did not have any bears on her home island.

"There are caribou, though!" She informed. "Some folks breed and raise caribou herds. And actually, Dumbbell is two separate islands connected by a thin ice bridge. Hence the name, because it looks like a dumbbell. Normally the herders move the caribou back and forth from one side to the other to keep their food sources stable. But during the warmer months, the ice bridge melts. The main town and port is Bartown. There’s also a Marine research facility there. That's where I spent most of my time, with my mom, when she was still alive."

There was an awkward pause. None of her crew commented for a few seconds. Then Bepo, bless his furry hide and heart, offered her condolences. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Alex didn't wave off his words. It would be a disrespect to her mother's memory. "Thank you, senpai. She passed away when I was really little, but I have a lot of really good memories of her."

Rather than pressing more on the subject, Shachi and Penguin began demanding why she didn't call them senpai because they had been around as long as Bepo. 

"Because Bepo is also first mate, and you two lost the privilege when Ikkaku told me that you've snuck into the women's quarters before to look through her drawers. Perverts don't get rights," she told them matter-of-fact. They didn't immediately defend themselves, which was justification enough.

The waitress finally came around to their table, eying the jolly roger stamped on their suits, and carefully asked them what they wanted to drink.

"Ale!" shouted Shachi and Penguin.

"Milk," said Bepo, much more timidly. Alex gave the woman brownie points for not freaking out about a talking bear.

"Hot chocolate, if you have it." They did, so Alex was pleased.

The waitress wrote down their orders then hurried away to put them in.

"I feel like we don't really know anything about you, Alex," Penguin mused aloud once they had their drinks and had placed orders for warm meals.

"I mean, I could say the same about you guys. I've been living with you all for, what, six weeks now? I know that Captain doesn't eat bread and is pretty much an insomniac, you two are perverts but you’re pretty okay, Bepo really likes fish, and Dunlee's handwriting is atrocious," she's listed off on her fingers. 

"How about we play some games. You know, the kind where everyone has to tell awkward things about themselves. Build comradery, morale. Stuff like that!" Shachi suggested, 

"Ice breakers?" She supplied, not missing the irony they were on a winter island and wanted to do ice breakers. 

"Yeah, those!" The redhead exclaimed, pumping his fists in the air.

Alex didn't actually think it was a bad idea, though she doubted it would be long into the endeavor that her crewmates started taking shots below the belt. They _were_ pirates, after all.

So once they were back on the Polar Tang and brought the idea up, with surprisingly minimal heckling required, their Captain folded and agreed that 'ice breakers' would be a good way for the crew to pass time on the sub. The _'and stay out of trouble on this island'_ was an unspoken statement.

Unfortunately, some of the crew weren’t able to attend because of their duties--namely Jean Bart who was on lookout and Yachi who was prepping for dinner in the kitchen. The only place large enough to hold the crew without risk of their rowdiness spilling into town was the mess hall. The tables and benches were bolted to the floor in case the submarine was ever turned on its side, but no one had problems sitting on the tables themselves in a rough circle.

Bepo had even managed to drag the infamous Surgeon of Death to join. His sword was draped casually over his shoulder though, reminding everyone to keep the torment of their Captain to a minimum lest loss of limbs occur.

Despite the warmth of the Polar Tang, almost everyone had hot drinks courtesy of their cook to fight off the last chill of the winter island. With their numbers, there were few games that could be played easily. Alex reasoned that any games with too many steps be left out. Truth or dare was also excluded because the dares got too elaborate and destructive too quickly, their Captain reminded them.

“How about _‘Would you rather?’_ ” Ikkaku suggested. No one was opposed.

Shachi went first, going straight for the kill on their poor navigator. “Bepo. Would you rather have all the fish you can eat for the rest of your life or finally meet a lady bear friend?” the redhead asked, giving a suggestive wiggle of his brow from under his hat.

Alex almost felt bad for Bepo, but then remembered that it was only a game. Regardless, the poor mink looked torn, muttering quietly as he looked at his paws. He was raising and lowering them as if he was actually weighing the two options. “Do I have to pick?”

“Yes!” came the resounding answer from the entire crew.

“Fish!” the polar bear shouted, tears in his eyes. Their Captain had to console the mink with a pat on the head before he could take his turn.

“Ikkaku, would you rather lose the ability to read or the ability to speak?”

Her reply was immediate. “To speak, duh. I can still write if I need to say anything.”

“And then we wouldn’t have to listen to your yammering all the time,” Clione heckled, which resulted in a wrench being thrown at his head and a round of laughter from the rest of the crew.

Ikkaku picked Clione, who would rather make out with a marine than shave his head.

Penguin would rather take an ice bath than take off his hat. (Alex wondered if there was a story behind that.)

Douglas would rather dress up and act like a belly dancer than lick peanut butter off Shachi’s feet. (Uh, ew, gross.)

Eventually, after a few more rounds, Uni pointed to Alex. “Would you rather have all your meals for free or never have to buy your own booze again?”

That was an easy choice. “Gimme’ food please. I don’t really drink anyways.” She held her second mug of hot chocolate of the day up for display. That set off a chain reaction of disbelief and heckling from most of her crewmates.

“What kind of pirate doesn’t drink?!” Shachi.

“More booze for us!” Eddy and Freddy.

“Why don’t you drink? Are you a lightweight or something?” Clione.

Her nose wrinkled in displeasure. "Because it tastes disgusting, and why would I willingly ingest something that's effectively poison?" She gave a pointed look back at Clione which promptly shut him up. No one had really let him live down the drunken blue ginseng berry incident yet.

That pulled a bark of laughter from their Captain. Few seemed to notice in their cajoling to get her to take a shot or have a tankard. Alex didn’t rise to their challenges and defiantly drained her hot chocolate before going back into the kitchen--where none of them were allowed and they could _suck it_ \--to make herself more.

"Don't let them get to you, lass. Most of those boys out there get sloshed after a couple of pints. I know personally that Douglas cuts his ale with water so he can save face for the fact his metabolism isn't for shit," Yachi consoled her, laughing as she stuck her tongue out at him in a rare display of immaturity.

"If they knew what that stuff did to their livers, they'd never touch it again," she said with conviction. On second thought though, she knew that those loveable idiots would probably kiss a pufferfish if they were dared.

Yachi patted her shoulder sympathetically then shoved her back out of the kitchen with a new mug of hot chocolate in hand. The crew had mostly settled down, but Shachi was still shaking his head at her as he took a large gulp from his tankard.

She sat down and took a sip from her mug, then nearly spit it out all over Shachi in surprise when she was greeted with a bitter burn across her tongue. Sparing the redhead sitting next to her, she swallowed and immediately started coughing from the fire that rolled its way from her throat to her stomach. Looking down at her mug in confusion, a dark but distinctly clear liquid greeted her. Her hot chocolate had been replaced by spiced rum!

Suddenly, the crew was rolling on their tables, dying in laughter.

“Yachi!” she cried out feeling betrayed.

“I didn’t do anything!” the cook called through the kitchen window.

There was a snort from across the room, and Alex turned to their Captain, whose golden eyes were watching her over the rim of his own mug. As he lowered his drink, his smirk was clear, which led to even more laughter and cheer from everyone else in the room as they realized what had happened.

 _That bastard Shambled my drink!_

He lifted his mug, like a toast, and knocked back the rest of her hot chocolate in one go. It was a challenge if Alex ever saw one.

 _Fuck it, the Surgeon of Death can fix my liver if I get hepatitis._ Keeping his gaze, she took the mug in her hands and drained the entire contents in one go...and immediately regretted her decision. The burn of the alcohol seemed to tear through her stomach and immediately flush her cheeks. _God, that tastes awful. I think I’m going to die._

But then Shachi and Penguin and most of the other crew are hollering, slapping her on the back, praising her and offering refills. She firmly turned them all down.

Trafalgar was still wearing a smug expression. “I believe it’s your turn, Alex-ya.” He was expecting her to retaliate, but Alex had more self-preservation than to go for a sucker punch.

“Captain, would you rather eat bread or never be able to drink coffee again?” 

He frowned. It clearly wasn’t as vengeful as he thought she’d go, but he still wasn’t pleased with the selections. After several tense moments and genuine contemplation, he finally replied, “How much bread?” None of the Heart Pirates were terribly surprised. Their Captain had a terrible caffeine addiction.

Alex grinned, the tingling she felt in her nose and fingers from the liquor spurring her on to tease but only a little. While she wasn’t buzzed yet, she was sure she would be soon. “A whole loaf.”

The Surgeon of Death, ex-warlord and feared pirate, their commanding Captain, scowled at her from across the mess hall. He didn’t lift his sword though, which was promising. “I’d eat the fucking loaf and then drown myself in coffee.” Peels of laughter rose again, this time at their Captain’s expense, which he didn’t actually seem to mind very much.

By the time Yachi called for dinner, several more rounds had been played, the majority of the crew was buzzed or drunk, and no one had lost their heads or limbs. Which was a win in the Heart Pirates’ book.

Alex happily dug into her roast to put something other than booze or hot chocolate in her stomach. The meal was warm and rich, filling her with a different type of warmth than the spiced rum had. She spared a glance at her Captain. He was leaning against the wall eating onigiri that Yachi had made specially for him, watching the antics of his crew as they continued drinking as they ate their meals.

She felt admiration swell in her chest, thinking back to her first conversation with Ikkaku on the Polar Tang. The pride and certainty in the other woman’s voice when she said her Captain would do anything to keep them safe. Alex had already heard tales of Punk Hazard and Dressrosa in passing, how he had sent his crew to Zou to keep them safe despite their _extreme_ protests.

No matter what light the Marines or World Government tried to paint him, Trafalgar D. Law was a good person. He was also a great captain-- _her_ Captain now. And she was proud to be a Heart Pirate.


	9. Of Coffee and Oils

Alex didn’t get nightmares often. Unpleasant visions of past interactions, replaying on repeat for her to dissect. Bizarre dreams where reality was turned on its head and colors bled together. Fantasies of wondrous cures to every disease imagined.

That night, she woke in a cold sweat from a rare nightmare, the raw sensations of  _ ‘alone’ _ and  _ ‘sick’ _ and  _ ‘dying’ _ pressing against her skin and crawling up her spine. A vivid memory blending with the sheer terror of ‘what if’ closing the metal walls of the Polar Tang around her.

Isolation did peculiar things to a person’s mind, especially when combined with food poisoning. When she had feasted on the giant bug--a cricket of sorts and some species perfectly edible in other parts of the Grand Line--it had been the desperate move of someone who hadn’t eaten in days. She had barely been conscious an hour later to regret her decision.

Alex just  _ knew _ that she was going to die on that island before anyone could stumble upon her. She felt death sweating from her pores and churning in her stomach, unable to hold anything but water down. She curled in a shallow burrow under a large tree at the edge of the forest and waited to die. Thankfully, she woke up after a week of hallucinations and vomiting, lighter in body and spirit with a valuable lesson learned.

The ‘what if’ would still creep into the back of her mind, though.  _ What if I don’t make it? What if I die here? What if no one comes?  _

_ What if I’m really still back there? _

She took a few deep breaths. Faint blue lines of light danced through the porthole along the walls and helped to calm her. The Polar Tang was sailing rather than submerged for the night, and the gentle rocking almost lulled her back to sleep.

Her stomach ached sharply, however, and Alex knew from experience she would only have bad dreams again if she didn’t eat or drink something beforehand. She was up with a fresh change of clothes and on her way to the kitchen without a peep from Ikkaku.

The hull of the sub creaked around her without the noise of the engine to fill the space and vibrate through the halls. She found the quiet different but not unwelcome. The lack of Yachi’s presence in the kitchen was more jarring than the silence through the rest of the sub. It was still too early for the cook to be prepping for breakfast. She knew Bepo was likely awake and on watch above deck, taking the rare opportunity to chart the stars. Uni or Clione were also likely up and in the control room, monitoring the equipment.

Alex set a small pot on the stove, grabbed milk from the fridge, poured about a mug’s worth, then turned on the burner. She slowly added cocoa powder and sugar to the milk, stirring as it gently roiled. Looking at the clock above the kitchen window and considering the hour, she also grabbed a kettle and filled it with water. Once the kettle began whistling, she quickly took the coffee press from the depths of the cabinet, scooped in a couple heaping tablespoons of ground coffee, then poured the boiling water into the press.

She quickly washed the dishes as she watched the minute hand of the clock closely. Her mug of hot chocolate sat by the stove temptingly, but she knew better than to leave a mess for Yachi to find. After several minutes, with freshly pressed coffee and hot chocolate in hand, Alex made her way to the med bay.

There was little surprise when she found the Captain’s door ajar and light spilling out into the dimly lit infirmary. When she knocked, however, there was no answer. She nudged the door open and peeked her head inside, only becoming mildly concerned when she realized he wasn’t actually asleep at his desk. He was awake and jotting down notes, so engrossed in his work that he hadn’t heard her knock. It seemed out of sorts for her paranoid Captain, but she also had never seen him on a work binge before.

“Captain, I’ve got something for you.”

The dark-haired man didn’t jump at the disturbance like she suspected. He simply looked up from the papers and books scattered around him. Alex could see at least three empty mugs already on the desk and wondered if bringing her Captain more caffeine was truly a wise decision. Then realized she wasn’t his babysitter and he was an adult who could make his own damned decisions.

Trafalgar didn’t quite look at her as much as he looked through her, eyes glossy from fatigue mixed with sheer determination to stay awake. Then his gaze seemed to focus on the mug in her hand. He held his hand out expectantly and she gave him the coffee.

There was a stark contrast between the black lettering on his fingers and the white ceramic.

“Hn. Thanks.” 

One word responses were truthfully more than Alex had anticipated.

Her Captain took a sip of his coffee, paused, then pulled the mug away to stare at it for a long minute. Finally, he took another sip and looked back to her, finally seeming to register her presence fully.

“What did you do to the coffee?” His tone wasn’t quite accusatory, and he was still drinking it. She could tell he was very cautiously enjoying the dark beverage, though.

“I made it?” she replied quizzically. She hadn’t taken more than a couple sips of her own drink and he was already turning the mug up to finish the last dregs.

He looked at the bottom of the mug silently. There was a furrow between his brows and Alex would never have thought the man could look so adorably pensive. Then realization struck her.

“Oh. The grounds at the bottom are because I used the coffee press. It doesn’t use a filter,” she informed him. “I didn’t want to use the coffee machine because it makes so much noise." She didn't ask if it was okay, because the empty cup was answer enough.

"I didn't know we had a coffee press," Trafalgar told her. Clearly sleep deprivation made him more talkative.

"It doesn't make a lot at once, so Yachi uses the machine instead. You're not the only caffeine addict on the sub, you know. The coffee press could never keep up."

He looked pointedly at the cup in her hands. She shook her head. "I made some hot cocoa. It's my favorite. You can't go wrong with chocolate, and the warm milk always helped me sleep when I was growing up."

He gave her a contemplative look. The Surgeon of Death was a perceptive, intelligent man. "Do you get nightmares often?" There was a subtle enough shift in his demeanor that Alex could tell he was asking as her doctor and not her Captain.

"Not often enough to need medication," she answered honestly. "I can normally get back to sleep, but I woke up a little disoriented. I thought getting up would help shake the rest of it off."

"And did it?" He asked, settling back into his chair with an expression that said he was satisfied she was telling the truth.

Alex shrugged get shoulders. "I don't feel as restless, but I'm definitely not going back to sleep. It's not too early that I can't go ahead and start the day, though."

"Don't make it a routine. I don't need anyone distracted if Marines or other pirates attack,” his gruff vice warned.

She gave him an incredulous look, slowly and pointedly looking at the growing pile of mugs on his desk. "Captain, please don't take any offense. I don't know if you have room to talk. Have you been to your quarters to sleep at all in the past 72 hours?" Alex was probably pressing her luck. Bringing coffee probably only bought her so much grace, but the man looked like the walking dead.

He scowled but made no move to indicate she was about to be sliced and diced. "You sound like Bepo."

Alex smiled as she brought her mug to her lips. "Senpai has been teaching me a lot," she replied smartly.

Trafalgar scrubbed a hand over his face before going to massage his temple. "Mutiny. My bear is planning a coup."

"I don't think it's mutiny if he's only worried about you keeling over from exhaustion," Alex defended Bepo.

Her Captain looked at her carefully. "He's talked with you about it?"

She didn't mean to rat the poor navigator out, but Bepo had been watching their Captain more and more the past couple weeks. Nothing had really seemed off to Alex or the rest of the crew, but Bepo was first mate for a reason and was clearly sensing something of concern. He may not be too off the mark if their Captain was pulling long hours through the night for reasons unknown. She glanced slyly at the papers scattered on the desk.

"He would never betray his duties as first mate or your trust, but yeah, we've talked a couple times. Mostly about how much time you seem to spend in here, after I joined."

Silence answered her, and suddenly, Alex was uneasy, something she hadn't felt since she first officially joined the Heart Pirates. Her brazenness had gotten her in trouble growing up on a Marine Base, but her father's position left most overlooking her mouthy attitude. Her time traveling on Marine ships had taught her harsh lessons to think of the consequences her words had. Here she was, though, scolding the Surgeon of Death for upsetting his bear.

Trafalgar just gave a low chuckle. "Fine, I can see when I'm outmatched." He turned to his desk to put the papers he had been working on away. Then he stood from his chair. "I'll be in my quarters if the crew needs me. Try to not need me."

He handed her his empty mug and slid past her easily for someone as well built as he was. She noted idly that he must have been too tired to Room his way to bed. She followed him out of his office, paused for a second, then went back to his desk to grab the rest of his empty coffee cups before exciting and closing the door behind her.

The man was already gone by the time she made it to the hall. A small frown pulled at the corner of her lips. She hoped that their Captain would share what's been occupying his mind and time, mostly for Bepo's sake. 

At least she could tell the mink that their Captain was getting a little more sleep. Alex was pretty sure Bepo wouldn't let anything short of an Admiral on their trail wake up the Captain if he actually fell asleep.

With a sigh, she made her way back to the kitchen, arms full of dishes. The interaction with her Captain had left her restless. After swinging by the kitchen, with no Yachi in sight or need of help yet to prep breakfast, she made her way to the deck.

Bepo was indeed on deck, gaze cast upward to the stars. He glanced her way when she came up to give a toothy grin and wave before going back to his charts. His white fur and orange jumpsuit were the brightest things in the dark early morning. There was only a glint of green on the horizon. The sun was still long to rise.

Alex walked to the rail and let the breeze play with the loose strands of her hair. Something sharp and salty assaulted her skin and nose, mist spraying up the side of the sub as waves rolled gently against the metal hull. Rather than calming her, the fresh air seemed to invigorate her. She needed something to keep her hands and mind occupied.

The navigator looked over at her and set his pen and paper down. “Alex, is everything okay?” He seemed to sense something was off.

She couldn’t put the residual ache in her stomach or the heaviness in her limbs from her nightmare into words. There was also a sour taste on her tongue from conversation with Trafalgar, feeling like she had stepped out of line in his office. She was the newest member of the crew, so who was she to tell the man he needed more sleep?  **_What if_ ** _ I get left behind? _

“Let’s spar.”

Alex didn’t visibly jump at the mink’s words, but she felt her thoughts jar. She looked into Bepo’s dark eyes. The weight of his undivided attention wasn’t as unnerving as it may have been when she first joined the crew. Before she could protest, he had taken her by the shoulders and corralled her to the stern of the ship, down to the bottom deck, and into the training dojo.

Alex had yet used the room, and while she had seen the inside during her official tour of the Polar Tang, she took a moment to admire the assortment of training equipment. The entire rounded room had windows looking out towards the deck or the sea. Free weights and a bench sat in one corner, with an assortment of real and practice weaponry lining the wall next to it.

Bepo took the time to roll out several mats. Alex recognized them as the kind used during the Marines hand-to-hand classes. She had been allowed to attend occasionally. She was a Commodore’s daughter after all, and a potential Marines recruit if she had ever pulled her nose out of the books and medicines.

Alex realized belatedly that the mink was serious about the sparring.

“Ah, Bepo-senpai. No offense, but I’m pretty sure you could break every bone in my body.” Regardless, she stepped onto the mat and watched him warily as he quickly stretched then assumed a fighting stance.

“Then don’t let me hit you,” was his cheeky reply. Then he was swinging.

Let it be said that a mink's martial arts prowess was understated in Paradise. Bepo was a blur of fur and claws, and she was having to strain her observation haki to its limit to keep up with his movements and avoid being struck. She never went on the offensive, letting her body weave and roll around his, using her smaller size to her advantage.

Alex knew Bepo was holding back. She had yet to see him in actual combat, but the fluidness of his movements and precision of his strikes spoke experience. She was pretty sure he would legitimately break something if he landed even a single hit. Then she would suffer in agony for a few hours because she refused to wake their Captain after she had finally gotten him to agree to go to bed.

Her brief lapse in attention cost her a brush against her ribs. Pain flared as she took a deep breath, spinning away into a low stance on the mat and as far away from the mink as she could get. Bepo paused in his assault, seeming content to have her full attention again, and she realized he had only grazed her on purpose.

“You have kenbunshoku haki,” Bepo commented, considering. “I should have hit you several times before now. You always evade at the last second.” He didn’t comment on her moment of distraction that allowed him to strike her just then.

Alex nodded, taking stock of her side. It hurt to touch but she didn’t feel short of breath, so at worst she may have a bruised rib. “I used it for the first time on Wayward. It’s a lot easier to live on an island of giant carnivorous insects if you know where they are at all times. I’ve not really had a chance to train it.”

“Close your eyes. I’ll move slower.”

She did as he said. In the short time she had been a Heart Pirate, she had learned to trust Bepo explicitly. Like his Captain, he had his crew’s best intentions at heart. Even if it involved physically painful lessons. They were pirates and it would be stupid not to train all of her skills to their limits. It was them against the rest of the world.

They trained until the sun was well above the horizon. Light fluttered against her eyelids. She laid on the mat, lungs heaving as she assessed the aches and pains across her body. The worst of the damage was her right side from Bepo’s first successful blow and her left forearm from his claws after she had nearly tripped off the edge of the mat. She was glad she had ditched her flannel halfway through their spar. It would be in pieces by now.

Bepo sat next to her, offering her a box of antiseptics and bandages. “We should let Captain check your ribs out. I’m sorry I hit you so hard.”

“No you’re not,” she told him, grinning as he pulled her up with a massive paw. “First aid is fine for now. I’ll get Captain to look at it this afternoon. He’s sleeping right now.”

The mink’s attention sharpened and his nose twitched. He didn’t say anything at first, but after a long pause, he broke the silence. “Is everything alright between you and Captain?” 

Alex marveled how--per Shachi--there was a time that Bepo was more withdrawn and would never have spoken up. The bear had really grown into his role of first mate in the past year according to the red head. Even if it meant sticking his too-perceptive nose into other people’s business.

She paused, considering earlier this morning. “I don’t know? I mean, I found him in the office. I was bringing him coffee actually, because I knew he would be awake. But he looked terrible. The ‘I haven’t slept in days and my blood is coffee’ sort of terrible. I kinda’ told him we were worried about him. Especially you. He actually agreed to go to his quarters to sleep. But I feel like I overstepped, ya’ know?” she rambled, spraying a disinfectant over the laceration on her forearm with a hiss before wrapping it with gauze.

“Why’s that? Aren’t you allowed to worry? He’s your Captain, too.” Bepo said the words with such conviction that Alex couldn’t not agree with him.

“He is. And we’re both his crew.” 

Bepo hummed in agreement. “Thank you for getting him to go to bed. He never listens to me,” the bear said dejectedly.

That pulled a laugh from Alex. “That’s not true! You’re his first mate. I feel like he  _ only _ ever listens to you!”

“And you apparently.” Those words were solemn, like they held a certain secret and power. She didn’t want to reflect too deeply on it. She had enough heartfelt conversations for one day. The Heart Pirate’s navigator could be as puzzling as their Captain at times.

“Hey you two! Come get breakfast while there’s some left,” Shachi poked his head in the doorway leading onto the deck. He whistled, looking at the bruises and scrapes littering Alex. “Damn Alex-chan, Bepo did a number on you. How did he trick you into sparring with him?”

At her confused look, Bepo bashfully scratched his ear. “No one but Captain will spar with me.”

Feeling the satisfying burn of her muscles and the quiet of her mind, she found herself grinning at the redhead. “No worries, Shachi! Bepo-senpai took it easy on me. First mate has to whip new recruits up into shape, isn’t that right?” she asked the bear teasingly, ignoring Shachi’s complaints that she could ask him to teach her blunt weaponry.

“No thank you. I don’t want anywhere near your...staff. For training purposes or otherwise.”

Shachi floundered in the doorway for a minute before exclaiming that wasn’t what he meant and taking off back towards the main deck. His face was redder than his hair, and Alex grinned. She never would have thought a pervert could embarrass so easily.

Poor Bepo looked befuddled by his human crewmates’ antics, and Alex would have cackled if her ribs didn’t protest so strongly. Looks like she would have to visit her Captain after all. After a hearty breakfast and a couple more hours to let the man sleep.

* * *

Least to say, Law wasn’t happy when he made his way to the med bay after several surprisingly restful hours of sleep to find his apothecary black and blue with wide gauze wrapped around her forearm. He had to begrudgingly admit that the wound had been cleaned and dressed professionally. Though Alex did have a few bruised ribs per radiographs, but nothing was fractured. 

He let her get back to the logs with a thorough scolding of knowing her limits, especially when fighting with minks who were  _ trained from birth in martial arts _ .

Then he left the med bay to find his first mate and let him know of his Captain’s displeasure, as well.

“But Captain, we were just sparring,” Bepo defended, looking up from his charts in the observation deck.

“She was a civilian before she joined the crew, Bepo. She wasn’t actually a Marine and she wasn’t a pirate,” Law felt the need to remind him.

Instead of chagrined, the bear got irritated instead to Law’s surprise. “So? Alex was keeping up just fine. She’s really only defensive in close combat, but that’s fine. We have enough hand-to-hand fighters. She’s fast though. I actually had to try to keep up. Which I did, but accidentally hit her on her side.” Hence the bruised ribs, Law thought idly. “It was a better match once I had her close her eyes.”

“You had her close her eyes.” There was a tangible pause. Then Law felt like an idiot. “Of course, she has observation haki,” the dark-haired man surmised. Bepo nodded and watched his Captain carefully.

Law leaned against the table, looking out the fishbowl window into the depths of the sea. A large school of fish swam by, their silver scales glinting in the sunlight and moving like one giant creature. After a few minutes, he heaved a sigh like he was in physical pain.

“I apologize,” he seemed to chew on the words before he got them out. “As first mate, feel free to train Alex-ya as you see fit. Clearly she has potential as a fighter. I already knew she was a good shot before she joined. If she has observation haki, she’ll be more well-rounded if she knows how to use it properly.”

Bepo didn’t tell his Captain that he wasn’t sparring with his kohai because he thought to test her fighting prowess. She had just smelled sad and lonely on the deck, which she shouldn’t when at home on the Polar Tang. He asked her to spar to help her clear her mind and hope that she opened up to him regarding what was troubling her. And she did.

Instead of telling Law any of this, however, Bepo only replied, “Yes, Captain.”

Satisfied, Law turned and left the observation deck as quickly as he had appeared.

By the time he had made it back to the med bay, the infirmary had taken on the distinct aroma of mint and other strong fragrances. Alex was sitting at her desk, mortar and pestle in hand as a small pot set over a portable burner. Jars of herbs and oils were set before her. He recognized most of the items individually but not their purpose as a whole.

“What are you doing?” Law found himself asking.

“Making a muscle rub,” Alex answered absently. She fixated on her work, much like he did during an operation. It was bizarre seeing a similar single-mindedness reflected back at him.

Feeling his gaze on her, she looked up from her desk. He kept his expression attentive but level. A glint of excitement lit up her eyes when she realized he had asked out of genuine curiosity and was watching her closely. Law suspected she had never had someone take interest in her work before.

“I’m making a muscle rub,” she restated, holding out a couple of the ingredients out for him to inspect. Some were in containers from the kitchen. “Menthol in mint is good for coughs and congestion, but it can also be used as a topical pain relief. Add another analgesic like eucalyptus oil with a couple of bases like almond oil and coconut oil, and ta-da--muscle rub.” 

She then held up a couple of small dark vials, only half full of liquid. “I have to make the mint and eucalyptus oils ahead of time. I made these a few days ago. Yachi let’s me use the kitchen because it takes so much room to make extracts. Then I can finish everything here.”

Alex handed him a wide jar of what Law assumed was the finished product. “It seems like a lot of trouble to go through. Why not just buy it?”

He relished in the flash of irritation that graced her features before she schooled her expression. There was a confidence in her voice that wasn’t there in her regular conversations, when she talked about mundane things. Alex shared this domain with Law, and he hadn’t lied when he told her that her knowledge of botanicals surpassed his.

“I can make it for a fraction of the price a pharmacy would charge on an island, and I can guarantee the quality of what’s in that jar.”

He handed the container back, satisfied by her answer. “Can you make another jar for Yachi? His arthritis has been acting up since the winter island.”

“Of course, Captain. I’ve got enough ingredients for at least one more, but I can take Yachi this one.”

Law shook his head. “Keep the first jar for yourself. You’re going to need it if Bepo will be taking over your hand-to-hand training.”

Her brow furrowed. “But I thought…”

“It has been brought to my attention that as a member of this crew, your training falls under the purview of the first mate,” Law interrupted her. “Who speaks highly of your dodging skills. You’re already giving Penguin a run for his money on sharpshooting, so I never imagine you’ll be on our front lines. But it would be folly to think that an enemy will fight fair and let you keep your distance. I understand you know how to use haki, which gives you an advantage if trained properly.”

Alex grinned up at him as he towered over her small form. She only wore a black halter shirt, her flannel jacket draped across the back of her chair. The bruises along her shoulders and elbows stood out in contrast against her skin, giving her an almost feral edge. It was a stark change from the quiet, contemplative woman who had stood in his office this morning. Those same delicate hands that had offered a cup of coffee were now scuffed and scraped, fingers gripping the jar tightly.

“Don’t worry, Captain,” she assured him. “I’m a Heart Pirate. I won’t fight fair either.”

Law couldn’t keep the sharp grin from his features. “Good.”


	10. Of Fevers and Feathers

Time drifted by a little differently on the Grand Line, even more so when most of that time was spent beneath the waves. The Polar Tang used the currents and the pull of the log pose to navigate the dark depths of the sea. The sub was oblivious to storms or the phases of the moon. There was only the constant thrum of the engine and creaking of metal echoing through the halls.

Occasionally, in the shallower seas closer to islands and during the brightest hours, giant kelp forests and vibrant coral reefs could be seen from the observation deck. The sights were breathtaking even if they made for treacherous steering. Alex found herself sitting in front of the large window as Bepo worked quietly, watching the sea green light--filtered from the surface--dance through the inky blue darkness.

While they both had their regular duties, Alex and Bepo trained every other day to work on her hand-to-hand skills and fine tune her observation haki. They met in the early morning hours, their routine mostly the same as the first day. It always began with rhythmic swings and dodges before quickly diverging into Alex having to blindly--literally--tuck and roll to avoid Bepo's paws.

She never remembered being more sore in her life. She was glad the sub had stopped at an island recently to allow her to restock on muscle rub supplies as she had gone through her entire jar within a week’s time. It would have been too tempting to steal from the batch she made for Yachi, but the older man had been grateful beyond words when she had given him the medicine. He had been walking with a certain bounce in his step since, aches and pains from a life on the sea not impeding his movement.

Over the last few weeks, their Captain had been giving her new requests. There would be a note on her desk for a particular medication or tonic after a physical or if someone ill came to see the doctor. Occasionally, Trafalgar would step out of his office and discuss lists of symptoms and her take on how to treat them. He would give suggestions and she would counter about contraindications and side effects.

Alex felt like he was just making things up at times, a game of life and death where the symptoms would get more complicated and treatments were as deadly as the conditions. Limbs turning green with bloody coughs. Skin falling off locked joints. There was always a serious undertone to his inquiries, however.

Eventually, she asked him about it. “Captain. You aren’t just making these up, are you? There’s really diseases like this in the New World?”

“Not just here,” he said distantly and went back into his office.

The next day, there had been a book on her desk-- _Most Contagious Diseases in the Four Blue_. She tipped the book onto its spine and let it fall open. The words ‘Amber Lead Syndrome’ greeted her, its pages well worn and spine cracked so the book rested easily there. Her Captain had spent a long time staring at these words.

She stood and walked to Trafalgar’s office door, which he left open more often than not recently. He didn’t say anything as she watched him for a few moments. She noted he wore a short sleeve shirt to combat the stuffy temperature in the sub, and the circular tattoos on his forearms were on display. The dark ink shifted as he wrote, small muscles rippling under the skin.

“I was seven when I heard about Amber Lead Syndrome for the first time.” Her captain’s posture had gone rigid at his desk. He didn’t turn to look at her, which sat odd in her stomach after their recent interactions. “Mom was one of the best pharmacists in the Marines. She was in charge of the labs at the Base on my home island. She came home one day, saying she had been in contact with someone from Flevance--an island in the North Blue. The entire island had been quarantined because of a contagious disease that was killing the whole population.”

“It wasn’t _contagious_ ,” finally her Captain interrupted, practically spitting the last word out like it burned. He was gripping his pen tightly.

Alex hummed. “I remember mom saying that, too.”

Trafalgar did look at her then, golden eyes cutting to her sharply.

“I don’t remember a whole lot. I was still pretty young, but I can still hear her arguing with my father that she could help. That she had an obligation to help the people of Flevance, the World Government be damned.”

“Pretty bold words for a Marine.”

“Mom had a firm oral compass and sense of justice. She joined the Marines for access to their equipment, not because she agreed with their politics,” Alex told him. She leaned against the door and wrapped her arms around herself. “Looking back on it...I know that her ‘accident’ probably wasn’t just an accident. She had been too vocal in her opinions and research. My father had been too resigned after she died, like he knew it was going to happen. I remember being so bitter growing up that he never talked about the incident much.”

There were a few quiet but not necessarily tense moments. Alex was about to go back to her desk to work when her Captain spoke up. “There was nothing contagious, just a hereditary disease caused by Amber Lead. A poison accumulating in greater concentrations until the kids weren’t living long enough to reproduce.”

“You’ve been there?” she asked.

He turned to look at her, leaning back in his chair in that nonchalant way of his that beguiled one to thinking he was relaxed. The bulging tendons on the back of his hand spoke otherwise. “I was _born_ there. The World Government killed every man, woman, and child on the island, then burned the evidence to cover up that Amber Lead was the cause. I should have died.”

It felt like a lead brick sat heavy in her stomach. The thought of her Captain, atop a mountain of corpses. “You escaped.” She didn’t ask how, didn’t want to think about how. He would have only been ten if her math and timeline were right. She thought about the important parts instead. “And you found a cure.”

“Someone...important to me, they found the cure. Pretty much shoved it down my throat.” He created a small Room. 

Alex’s eyes lit up in understanding. “Your Devil Fruit,” she surmised.

“The Ope Ope no Mi. I extracted the Amber Lead from my body. An immediate cure.” His words were flat, no joy nor bitterness in his tone. She supposed that the weight of an entire island’s curse--the tragic and bloody death of family and friends--laid heavily at his feet.

“You’ll have to tell me about them one day. Your family. Your special someone that saved you. I can tell you still care very much about them,” she said carefully, watching for any sign that she was misstepping.

Instead of anger, however, surprise colored her Captain’s features. Surprise that she didn’t pester for more information or surprise that she offered to be a listening ear, Alex would never be certain. 

Then the emotion was gone as quickly as it appeared, and his signature smirk brushed his lips. Rather than saying anything, though, he reached behind him and grabbed a piece of paper from his desk. He held it out to her.

Alex took it in hand, quickly recognized her own profile on the bounty poster he had given her. The picture must have been taken when the Heart Pirates had run into the Marines, before she had technically joined the crew. She had a rifle cradled against her shoulder, sights aimed level towards something out of shot. Alex recalled her target clearly, picturing the Marine taking swing at Shachi. It was jarring seeing the calm expression on her face, remembering vividly how tense the situation had felt.

Her gaze traveled down.

 _Bankhart Ally. Wanted alive. 25,000,000 beli._

Alex scoffed and resisted the urge to crumple the poster into a ball. It was her first official bounty, after all.

“Congrats on your first bounty. I’m pretty sure it’s higher than Shachi or Penguin’s first. Be sure to rub that in,” he encouraged, fully grinning now.

She couldn’t help but smile back, feeling a warmth replace the heaviness that had settled in her chest from their previous conversation. “Oh, you know that I will.” 

Alex tried to give him the poster back, but he waved her off and told her to keep it. Deciding it would be best to leave and let her Captain return to his previous tasks, she bid him farewell. Before she could even turn to the infirmary, though, he stopped her.

“Alex.” It was almost jarring to hear just her name. “Thank you.”

She gave him a genuine smile, trying to let as much of her admiration for her Captain shine through. “You’re welcome, Law.” Then she closed his door and left to show off her bounty poster to the rest of the crew.

It had been a couple of days since the interaction. While Alex wasn’t avoiding her Captain, he had not sought her out for their theoretical game of ‘cure the mysterious disease’ since they had spoken about Flevance and Amber Lead. Therefore, she thought it best to give him distance for a few days.

Which was how she found herself in Bepo’s company outside their usual training sessions. He didn’t ask questions about her presence on the observation deck but his dark eyes would occasionally find her. His expression was never anything but understanding, though. As first mate and best friend to their Captain, Alex guessed the mink had to know of the man’s past.

Suddenly, the door banged open, causing both Alex and Bepo to jump and look at Shachi who was clearly frazzled and out of breath from running. His head swiveled until his shaded gaze landed on their apothecary.

“Alex! Captain needs you in the infirmary. Barry just collapsed in the engine room.”

She was on her feet in an instant and dashing through the halls, two footfalls echoing behind her. The infirmary was a flurry of activity by the time she arrived. Marley--the Polar Tang’s official electrician--stood at the door, shifting quietly from one foot to the other, braids draped over shoulders pulled high towards his ears with stress. 

Alex gently shouldered her way past him, giving him a gentle squeeze on the arm.

Barry was laying on a cot, watery beads pulling at his temples and his normally swooping hair wet with sweat and flat against his head. Law was sitting at the bedside, stethoscope and blood pressure cuff in hand. There was a methodical manner to his movements.

“Fever is spiking. Accelerated heart rate. Low blood pressure,” the doctor called out. “Dunlee, get the IV going. We need to get him something to bring his temperature down and keep him hydrated.”

Dunlee was setting up an IV bag opposite to him. “Do you want me to give him aspirin for the fever, Captain?” the medical technician asked.

“It would be better to give him acetaminophen,” Alex answered, not waiting for her Captain’s response. She ignored Dunlee’s exasperated look as she walked over to the cabinets and started pulling supplies to make an intravenous solution.

“Aspirin is _just as good_ as acetaminophen,” Dunlee argued.

“Did he hit his head?” Alex asked, not bothering to look up from her work. “If he did, he may have intracranial bleeding. The _last_ thing you want to give him is aspirin,” she spoke firmly. “It’s a blood thinner. He’d likely never wake up.”

The blonde man flushed.

“Marley,” their Captain interrupted, watching the interaction between his apothecary and technician closely. “Tell us what happened again. Every detail.”

The man stepped closer, his natural tone gruff from infrequent use. He had a strong tendency to leave most of his words unfinished, a strong dialect from his home island. “Barry an’ I were riggin’ up a new system in the engine room. We’d been down since this mornin’. Said he was feelin’ a bit light-headed, thought it was cuz’ he skipped breakfast. Then he started sweatin’, more’n normal. It gets hot down ‘ere, figured we’d been holed up too long. I turned ‘round for just a sec’ then I heard a big thud an’ Barry was on the ground. I dunno if he hit his head or not, but I can’t see how not. It didn’t look like he caught himself.”

Alex could feel Dunlee’s glare on her back and she looked back at him sharply. _Told you so._ She bit her tongue.

“Captain, do you want me to add anything else to this?” she asked. Her mind was running through medications and scenarios, thoughts falling back to their routine of hypothetical conditions.

“No, just the acetaminophen and saline for now. He’s likely dehydrated, which would explain the heart rate and blood pressure.” He stood, walking to Alex’s desk to write notes down on a spare piece of paper. “Dunlee, set up for radiographs and scans. Then grab Douglas to help prep the theatre in case we need it. We have to rule out bleeding. Otherwise, I’ll have to operate to keep any pressure off his brain.”

The next couple of hours were tense as each crew member slowly made their way by the med bay. Thankfully the imaging showed no bleeding or fractures, but unfortunately that meant Barry’s unconsciousness was likely a lingering effect of his fever. With no apparent injury, Alex could prepare a more potent medication cocktail. Dunlee went about switching out IV bags and rechecking vitals while Law assessed response to treatment.

Eventually, the patient’s fever broke and he woke up. It was only long enough to ask for water, then Barry quickly proceeded to fall back into a steady sleep. Regardless, there was a collective sigh and sense of relief from those working in the infirmary.

Until the next person--Ichimaru--fell ill that evening and the terrifying cycle repeated itself all over again. By the time Eddy and Freddy reported they had the beginning of fevers, their Captain gravely announced that the entire crew had likely been exposed to a contagion on a recent island.

A virus was suspected given the sudden onset and severity of symptoms with a relatively quick peek. Unfortunately, the degree of fever varied person to person and there was no apparent rhyme or reason to who would be hit the hardest. Ikkaku ended up with a low grade fever and some aches, while Uni ended up in a cot next to Barry with a fever so high he started seizing.

Over the course of a week, the illness made its way through the crew of the Polar Tang. Despite the certainty of their exposure, Law insisted on those working in the med bay to wear masks and gloves. 

Which quickly went out the torpedo shoot once Dunlee was one of the ones laid out on a cot, sweating through his shirt.

Alex figured it was sheer luck that she nor Law had started showing symptoms yet given their constant contact with everyone else. Bepo also remained symptom-free, so whatever the bug was, it appeared that minks were immune. Another highlight was that the recovery process seemed only slightly longer than the active symptoms. The less severe the symptoms, the quicker the turnaround time.

Barry had made it back to his feet by day three, though he winded easily and slept several hours longer than normal. Eddy and Freddy were back to their normal selves after only a day, having only spiked a mild fever without any other issues.

By the time that Law started showing symptoms on day eight, Alex was running on an average of four hours sleep and a sparing consumption of black coffee. She had been working around the clock in the infirmary, either distributing pills for those who were awake enough to take them or making a constant supply of saline and fever reducer cocktails for those who were dazed or unconscious from fever. 

Half of their dozen cots were still occupied. 

And their beloved Captain was being especially difficult. Rather than admitting weakness in front of the crew and collapsing on one of the perfectly available cots in the infirmary, he had retreated to his cabin. Therefore, Alex was left to trek through the sub to hunt Law down to make sure he wasn’t comatose and taking his medicine appropriately.

 _Doctors make the worst patients,_ she grumbled to herself, feeling a splitting headache build behind her eyes from not enough sleep and too much caffeine. She wasn’t used to more than a cup or two of coffee in a week, and she had that many just this morning while wolfing down some toast for breakfast.

Law’s room was past the men’s general quarters, which consisted of four separate rooms. While the Captain’s quarters was granted more spacious arrangements, each of the men’s rooms had three bunk beds anchored into the walls to keep from tipping. At most, the Polar Tang could house thirty crewmembers if the women’s quarter was converted to resemble the men’s. There would be little to no elbow room, though.

Alex knocked on the Captain’s door. There was no answer and no sounds came from the room. In a moment of sleep-deprived bravery, she pushed the door open and entered without permission. 

“Captain?” her voice seemed loud in the quiet.

The room was dimly lit, a small oil lamp on the desk flickering faint shadows on the walls. It took her eyes a moment to adjust, and she could barely make out the shuddering form on the bed under a mound of covers.

Alex knelt by the bed and pulled the covers back enough to get a good look at her Captain. He was sweating profusely, thin yellow shirt drenched and dark hair plastered against his forehead. He seemed to vaguely register her presence, turning his head towards her and cracking his eyes open. Their normally piercing hue was muted, a brassy yellow instead of sharp gold, with a glossy haze from fever.

“You idiot,” she found herself muttering, mildly relieved that the man wasn’t coherent enough to know that she had just insulted him.

With moderate difficulty, she helped him sit up then promptly forced two large pills into his mouth with water to wash it down. He attempted to fight her, a Room popping into existence a time or two with no visible results for his poor effort. She really hoped he didn’t remember her manhandling him once he was on the mend. She wasn’t daring enough to try and get him into clean clothes, especially because he would just soak through them again anyways. Bepo could help the Captain change later.

Law continued to nod in and out of consciousness as Alex laid him back down. She watched him carefully to assure his tremors weren’t turning to full convulsions. His skin was flushed from fever, and she hoped she wasn’t going to have to drag him back to the infirmary to hook him to a drip.

She left once to get more medicine, check in with Bepo to see how those in the infirmary were doing and fill the first mate on the state of their Captain, then swing by the kitchen to grab a quick bite to eat. Law was tossing and turning when she returned, having kicked the blankets in knots around his legs. After a couple hours though, finally, he began to calm and settled deeper into the bed.

There was a knock on the door, and Alex looked up from the book in her lap. Their resident mink walked in, large form taking up most of the space in the door. He looked from her to the man asleep in bed then back to her. “How are you feeling?” he inquired after her, rather than their Captain.

Alex took a moment to assess. She was uncertain how long she had been awake and her body ached from sitting in the chair for too long. As she shifted, however, she recognized that some of the pain felt bone deep. Her headache had grown to the point it was a constant pounding echoing from the base of her skull into her eye sockets until it felt like her eyes were crossing. She brought a hand unthinkingly to her forehead and realized it was sticky to the touch.

“I think I may need to go lay down soon,” she told Bepo, but suddenly it felt like her voice was far away.

Before she could protest, she was scooped up into the arms of a giant, talking bear. Her head was swimming from the sudden change but she didn’t bother resisting. Instead, she tried cuddling further into the warmth of Bepo’s chest. Just as gently as she had been lifted, the mink set her down once they were in the infirmary and tried guiding her to a free cot. She did resist then, walking to her desk so she could grab a couple of pills for herself. Pouring some water into a glass from a pitcher, she took her medicine and washed it down. 

By this point, almost all of the crew had recovered from their mysterious fevers.

Only three cots were still filled by this morning--Uni, Yachi, and Maco. Uni had been the hardest hit by the virus, having had several seizures from fever before it finally relented and he had regained consciousness but was extremely fatigued. Yachi was sleeping off the symptoms he had developed early the day before. Maco, the crew’s tattoo artist responsible for the majority of their Captain’s art and several for the rest of the crew, was sitting up but looking decidedly _not quite there_ from fever yet to break.

Alex stumbled to the farthest cot, guided by Bepo who wrapped her vaguely like a burrito with the blanket. She appreciated the comforting gesture as the first tremor wracked her small frame. Deciding that sleep sounded much better than dealing with her headache or the pain eating away at her joints, she closed her eyes and quickly fell into fever-induced dreams.

Thankfully, she didn't remember any of her dreams.

* * *

Alex sat at her desk with a blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders despite the normally warm temperatures of the Polar Tang. Ever since she had woken up fever-free and feeling like she had been hit by a sea king, she felt like she couldn’t warm up. She was currently looking over their logs, making notes on what supplies needed to be restocked following the virus that had swept its way through their crew.

“Quick Blue Fever.” Law’s voice called from his office doorway, causing her to look up at him quizzically. “It’s a virus. Normally, it’s only spread in the South Blue because of the warmer waters, but it’s not uncommon on Summer islands in the Grand Line.”

“You think it’s what we all had?” she asked, genuinely curious.

The doctor gave a casual shrug of his shoulder. Despite the severity of his initial fever, Law didn’t seem to have any lingering side effects. None that he mentioned anyways. “It’s the closest I can find, but there are hundreds of diseases in the Grand Line that no one has records on.”

Another shiver ran up and down her spine. Alex pulled her blanket closer around her shoulders. 

The movement didn’t go unnoticed by her Captain and doctor. He frowned, walking to her desk and placing a tattooed hand against her forehead. “You’re not still running a fever are you? It’s been three days, and I’ve not documented the fever staying around that long.”

Alex scowled and resisted the urge to pull away, knowing he would make her undergo another full physical just out of spite if he thought she was being difficult. “No, I’m not still running a fever. I’ve already checked. I just can’t warm up,” she complained.

Law pulled his hand away and shoved it in his pocket. “Get a damn coat then.”

She huddled further into her chair with her blanket cocoon. “Yes. Let me get a coat, in the middle of the sea. Underwater. In a submarine. Days away from the next island,” she replied deadpan, looking him right in the eyes.

He blinked at her, slowly, before turning to go back into his office. Alex went back to her logs and felt mild triumph rise in her chest. _Ha! I outsassed the Surgeon of Death and kept all my limbs intact._

Suddenly, a weighted cloth dropped on her head and she jumped. A heady mixture of the sea, juniper, and old leather surrounded her. She reached a hand up. Her fingers brushed against soft feathers, and Alex was surprised to find Law’s signature sweatshirt in her hands. 

Her surprise must have shown on her face.

“Tch. Unfortunately, you made a valid point. It’s not like you can get a new coat right now. Borrow that and give it back after our next island.” He didn’t give her the chance to say her thanks or to possibly give it back before leaving the med bay entirely.

Alex also didn't point out that she did have a thin coat back in the women's quarters. She wasn't stupid enough to give this opportunity up. The weight and smell of the sweatshirt were soothing and like hell she was giving it back without getting to see what the hype was about a feather collar. A few minutes after slipping it on, however, she decided that Law may never be getting the sweatshirt back. 

The soft and comforting material would more than make up for getting Amputated and Shambled. At least she would die warm and happy.


	11. Of Honey and Stone

The Polar Tang was a flurry of activity. Three weeks since the virus outbreak on the sub and almost a month at sea was taking its toll on the Heart Pirates. Their food supplies and medications were dwindling by the day following the crews’ illness and recovery.

Tensions were high and the crew was past stir crazy. The slightest brush of elbows in the hallway or misplaced piece of clothing led to petty arguments. The sub spent more time breached than Law would have liked. The time above the waves helped moderate fidgety and cranky pirates but put them in a purview of prying eyes on the horizon.

As Captain of the rowdy bunch, Law knew he should intervene, however he found his temper was possibly the shortest of all. When the virus had been at its peak, his fever had pulled the darkest memories from the depths of his mind. He had woken up, his sister Lami’s name on his lips and no one in his room to hear him bite back a dry sob.

There had only been an empty chair turned to face the bed. One of his books, _Medical Mysteries of the Blues_ , sat on the side table with a full glass of water next to it.

Bepo had told Law later, checking in on his Captain with a food tray in paw, that Alex had monitored his condition through the worst of the fever. Then the first mate had escorted her to the infirmary once her own fever had set in. She had luck on her side, however, and had slept off most of her symptoms by that evening. 

Law hadn’t been that lucky. There were several rounds of fitful sleep even after Bepo came and went. Terrible images flashed behind his eyelids once they fell shut. 

Weeks later, Law found himself focusing on another baleful threat to keep the nightmares of white spotted skin and burning corpses at bay--the looming unknown of whoever was hunting his crew down. He had gone back to locking himself in his office in the med bay, door closed firmly to block out the world. The single-minded effort was likely futile, though, as any potential leads would be cold by their prolonged time at sea.

The only ones who interrupted him were Bepo with reminders to eat in the form of steaming bowls of rice at each meal time and Alex with cups of coffee at questionable hours of the night. He was begrudgingly surprised they made time for his stubborn ass after he had yelled at just about everyone on the sub at some point in recent days.

He was sure his two subordinates were conspiring together, however, because they never showed up within a couple of hours of one another. It was like they had a schedule on who was to check on him and when, which just irked Law even more. He was their Captain and he didn’t need a damn babysitter.

Speaking of conspirators, Law felt his blood simmer as a light knock on the door echoed through his office. He pushed away from his desk and stalked to the door, yanking it open with a terse, “ _What?_ ”

Alex stood there with a covered plate in one hand and a thermos in the other. She raised an eyebrow at his foul mood but otherwise didn’t react to his scowl.

“Changing it up?” he asked sarcastically. “Normally Bepo is nagging me to eat. Your ‘pester the Captain’ shifts isn’t for a few hours. Or did my clock break and it's later than I thought?”

“Bepo-senpai is on the observation deck,” she told him calmly, not rising to meet his tone. “He asked me to bring you dinner and let you know that he thinks we will make landfall by this evening.”

“And my navigator couldn’t come tell me this himself?” His words were sharp but the pounding in his head dulled the words in his own ears.

She leveled him with a defiant look that had him itching for his sword. “Your navigator is trying to navigate through a literal mine field right now, because the log pose has us going through an old naval battle ground. He and Jean Bart have been there since this morning trying to steer the Polar Tang so we don’t die an explosive and watery death. Which you would know if you’d bother to come out of your office in the past forty-eight hours.”

Law didn’t say anything for a moment, then let out a rush of air from his lungs, he felt himself deflate. He groaned and rubbed his forehead. “I’ve been unreasonable the past few days.”

“That’s putting it lightly,” Alex replied bluntly. “There’s a running bet on who gets sliced and diced first, and Dunlee has sworn off the med bay because he’s the top pick.”

The Captain gave a humorless chuckle. “Don’t be ridiculous. Shachi is the one who should worry the most. He keeps leaving his clothing in the washing room, and they grow mold. It’s completely unsanitary.”

Alex let a small smirk grace her lips. The freckles along her cheeks danced at the slight movement. “That’s who I put my money on.”

He created a Room to switch the items in her hand for an empty plate from his desk then took the thermos from her directly. As he took a generous sip, he could immediately tell it was pressed and not from the machine. He almost felt bad for snapping at her.

“Don’t drink it all at once. I’ll be helping prep for docking, so if you want more you’ve gotta’ go get it yourself,” she warned, turning to her desk. “Bepo thinks the next island is called Madrosa. About a three day reset for the log pose. It should be large enough to stock up on food and medicine, but there is a small Marines post.”

“We’ll want to see if there’s a cove away from the port we can anchor,” the Captain said. He had already disregarded her warning and downed half the thermos. It churned in his empty stomach but he felt the comforting buzz of caffeine fill his veins.

She ruffled through some papers. “After a day there I can give you a better report of appropriate substitutes for our supplies. We aren’t sure what kind of climate it has yet. None of the records say.”

He nodded his dismissal and ambled back into his office, this time leaving the door open to try and circulate the stale air. After a few minutes, however, Law realized that part of the problem was his own unkempt state and decided to haul himself to the showers after realizing embarrassingly he had not bathed in days.

Surprisingly but not unwelcomely, he didn’t encounter anyone in the halls on his way to his room or the washroom. They were all likely prepping the sub to anchor, eager to get out of their beloved tin can for a few days. His crew were children of the sea and pirates, but there were some creature comforts that the call of the horizon couldn’t satisfy. If the crew could stay off the Marines’ radar, the Captain may allow them a couple extra days on the island.

Bepo’s voice was on the intercom by the time Law had finished his shower. _“We’ve almost finished circling Madrosa, breaching in five minutes. Plan to anchor two miles east of port.”_ There was a quiet _click_ at the end of the announcement.

By the time they had anchored in a small cove, out of sight in either direction further along the shore, Law had made his way to the top level.

The crew were all tidying and taking stock of their immediate surroundings. Madrosa was a mild summer island. The air was warm but not unpleasantly, and a steady breeze cut through the humidity. On the beach, the sand extended back a few dozen meters before ending abruptly with a thick wall of luscious vegetation. If Bepo was right, and he almost always was, a town waited a half hour walk down the beach.

There was a clear anticipatory energy to them as they bustled about the deck. No one quite froze when he came out, too used to his odd moods and knowing to steer clear with his nodachi propped on his shoulder, but their excitement was stifled.

Knowing that a happy crew was imperative to staying alive on the Grand Line, Law heaved a sigh. “We’ll be here at least three days. Get your assigned tasks on the sub done tonight, then feel free to do as you will tomorrow. Just stay out of trouble,” he said, because he felt like if he didn’t, they would take it as a challenge.

There was a resounding chorus of cheer from the crew. Law made his way back below deck and resisted the urge to hole up in his office. Instead, he made his way to the mess hall to get more coffee. Yachi and Alex were sitting on barstools behind the kitchen window, looking over supply lists. The blonde was waving her hands animatedly, and he could hear her talking about the medicinal properties of...honey?

She glanced up and saw him first. “Hey Captain! Did you know that honey has natural antibacterial properties and can be used as a wound dressing when properly impregnated into a dressing?”

Law paused considering, mostly astounded by the fervor of her interest. There was a light in her eyes that he often saw during their back-and-forth banter about disease treatments, which had been sparse since the incident with Quick Blue Fever. He glanced at Yachi who returned his inquisitive gaze with a fond smile and a shrug.

“I didn’t know that,” he answered honestly. “Though I’d be afraid that you may have a problem with Bepo. Honey is one of his favorite treats.”

Alex laughed, the sound carrying through the kitchen and into the mess hall. “That’s true!” She hopped off her stool and walked to the stove. “Do you need more coffee?” she asked, already setting the kettle on the stove, despite her earlier statement that he’d have to get it himself. Her movements were fluid and spoke of an easy routine as she pulled the press from the cabinet, tossed two very large spoonfuls of coffee grounds in, then poured the water once it was boiling.

“Yes,” he replied levelly, ignoring the side eye he was getting from Yachi. The cook hadn’t bothered to move from his stool, with the thin figure fluttering around his kitchen with a mind of her own. Knowing the older man was as peculiar about the order of his space as the doctor was, that even the Captain didn’t venture into the kitchen without cause, Law marveled at the woman who seamlessly fit herself into the cracks and crannies aboard the Polar Tang. Like it was her home.

Alex set a mug of fresh pressed coffee in front of him then clicked her tongue in consideration. “This is what, your fifth cup today? You should really think about the effect on your heart, Captain.”

“I’ll take that into consideration,” Law drawled as he brought the mug to his lips, mockingly slow. He savored the taste and hummed his appreciation.

Alex spun away with a huff. Yachi laughed, and she threw a dish rag at his head.

Law decided to stay in the mess hall, enjoying his coffee as the cook started on dinner. Alex bounced between helping the older man and finishing the supply list. She was a flurry of activity that the Captain didn’t normally see when she worked in the med bay.

While her scrutiny was a razor blade at her desk, precisely measuring ingredients or writing detailed notes in her notebooks, she was everywhere at once in the kitchen. Her attention was fragmented amongst multiple tasks, seemingly on a collision course with Yachi on multiple occasions before gliding out of the way in half a moment. The cook continued with his own tasks, unconcerned and seemingly oblivious to her movements.

 _She’s using her haki to move around him_ , Law observed, surprised it took him so long to notice.

There was a shift in the space next to him as Bepo sat down, squeezing in next to his Captain on the bench seat despite the multitude of seating elsewhere. For a large polar bear mink, he moved quietly.

“She’s better than I thought,” Law told his first mate.

His comment earned a snort from the bear. “You should see her in the training room, Captain. I only hit her three times during our last spar. She’s a fast learner.” That was high praise from a mink born with fighting instincts honed from years of training and survival.

“She’s had a good teacher,” Law told his first mate.

For a bear, Bepo always found a way to flush in embarrassment.

Alex poked her head through the window, leaning out over the ledge. “Hey Bepo-senpai. How do you feel about honey?”

Law threw his head back and laughed.

* * *

There was a light fog caressing the Polar Tang the next morning in the early hours. The cove still appeared asleep with only the sounds of waves lapping against the hull and beach. The sub rocked gently in the water, trying to lull those aboard back to slumber despite the rising sun.

Alex wrapped the flannel jacket around her as she stood at the edge of the deck. For a summer island, the morning air had a bite. It wasn’t likely to last, though, which was why instead of her normal boiler suit, she had opted to wear cargo shorts to stave off the heat that she knew would come. Especially with plans to explore the island.

She pondered heading back down to the mess hall to grab a bite to eat or going to the port to grab something at a local cafe. Her Captain had _thankfully_ declared she no longer needed those nasty protein shakes. Between the supplements and her time training with Bepo, the build of her arms and legs no longer reflected her year stranded on a deserted island. She had put on much needed weight and muscle definition in recent weeks with the routine.

With the training also came a newfound confidence in her movement that she had never had. While the range of her observation haki hadn’t improved much, the clarity and almost foresight of others’ movements she had gained took her breath away.

Alex closed her eyes and focused. At the bow where she stood, she could feel Bepo on the observation deck several levels below her. She could picture how his paws ran out to smooth something, likely charts on a table, before he started writing in slow deliberate movements made difficult by large digits. His soft baby blue aura was a familiar and comforting presence.

There was also Shachi’s dark blue and Shachi’s carrot orange auras meandering in their room, while Dunlee’s custard yellow ran equipment check in the surgical suit above them and directly beneath her.

Behind her, a tawny orange shape stepped onto the deck and approached. She tilted her head in consideration. While it was a color she had grown to closely associate with her Captain, something didn’t seem quite right. She paid closer attention to the pulse of energy. That’s when she noticed what she thought had been one color was actually two--a golden honey mixing with a deep red almost the color of blood. It took her a moment to place the red and realized what it was.

“...your sword is giving off weird energy.” Alex commented, opening her eyes and turning to face her Captain who had his nodachi resting casually against his shoulder. “It’s like its aura is trying to blend with yours.”

“That doesn’t surprise me. Kikoku’s a cursed blade.” Law replied, his thumb brushing the hilt. "He's relatively well behaved, though."

Alex eyed the sword suspiciously, resisting the urge to stick her tongue out at it. She didn’t like its aura, but she supposed she didn’t have to like the nodachi for it to listen to and protect her Captain. At least she knew its name now after all this time.

She took a closer look at her Captain. While the dark bags under his eyes were still pronounced, his shoulders looked more at ease than the day before. He had stayed in the mess hall for dinner the previous evening, not necessarily interacting with the crew but not dismissing them entirely as he had for the last couple weeks either.

He wore a thin yellow jacket with the Heart Pirates’ Jolly Roger on clear display over the left breast pocket and black speckled blue jeans. Without an undershirt to conceal them, the black lines of his chest tattoo were on full display. The symmetrical lines curled over taut skin, almost growing up towards his clavicles and disappearing under his jacket. Alex knew they went further, had seen the ones on his shoulders and back a handful of times when he would spar with Bepo. They were always captivating to watch--both the tattoos and the sparring.

Law looked ready to disembark the sub, always one to disregard his own rule about traveling in pairs.

An idea came to her.

"I was thinking of going to town to get breakfast. Would you like to join me?" she asked, crossing her fingers behind her back in a childish barter for luck.

His natural frown deepened, but surprisingly, he didn’t turn the offer down immediately. She gave him her most earnest expression.

"Hn. Fine."

Alex gave a small whoop in excitement that she quickly tamped down at her Captain's incredulous look. She didn't bother wiping the grin from her face, though. She scanned the beach, looking for the best place for them to take and shore up one of the row boats. “I have everything already, let’s just grab a boat and we can head over…”

"Room. Shambles."

Suddenly, the firm surface of the deck disappeared, and it felt like her stomach had seized up in her throat. In less time than she could blink, the world changed and she was looking at the beach from a _much_ closer perspective. Her footing failed her as she landed ass first in the sand.

" _Sea kings_ \--give someone warning before you do that." Alex wondered if she looked as green around the gills as she felt.

Meanwhile, Law was still on his feet, hovering over her, and looking all too pleased with himself.

She blinked slowly to stop the world from spinning. “That’s convenient. And kinda’...fun?” she said, swallowing a couple of times to get rid of the adrenaline-driven saliva pooling under her tongue. She continued rambling to stave off the nausea. “Yeah, gimme’ a couple of goes, I think I can land on my feet next time.”

That earned a snort from her Captain, who turned and started walking in the direction towards the town.

Alex stood up tenderly, dusting herself off and knowing she would already have a mound of sand to pour out of her boots by the time they found food. She jogged to catch up with Law, cursing his long strides. Every one of his steps was almost two of hers.

They walked in silence close to thirty minutes before the port came into view and the sandy beach met up with a dirt-packed road that looked well-traveled. Their time together in the med bay made the lack of words more companionable than awkward despite the last few weeks of short tempers and stilted conversation.

After a few more minutes, the dirt road became stone and a row of tall slender buildings broke out of the jungle’s dense foliage. Each structure was no less than three stories tall, built on stilts and half-anchored into the trees themselves. The walls and railings were either wood or reed. The roofs were layers of palm and straw, awnings extending over the roads with rope bridges crisscrossing far overhead connecting the buildings high in the canopy. The materials should have been primitive. Instead, the scene was a sprawling jungle city with an elegance that nearly took her breath away.

Alex and Law walked along the streets, staying close to the seaside but taking note of how far the city seemed to extend into the trees. There were dozens of people ambling in the streets and the walkways overhead. There was a bustle of activity all around and no one glanced at two new figures among the masses going about their day.

She noted a sign with a steaming cup carved into the wood hanging over a door on the ground level a few buildings down. Pinching the sleeve of Law’s jacket bunched at his elbow, she lightly tugged him in that direction. He grunted his displeasure at being manhandled but didn’t resist.

The entire building was a cafe and they were escorted to seats on an extended balcony off the side of the building, held up by ropes the width of her forearm. Their table had a wonderful view of the sea, as well as a large intersection of two major roads. Alex’s eyes fell to the canopy overhead while Law’s settled on the people in the streets below.

The waitress came and took their orders. Her Captain asked for miso soup and onigiri with black coffee, while she got an island fruit juice with a ham and egg rye bread sandwich. When their food came, Law scowled at the bread on her plate. She didn’t bother resisting the urge to stick her tongue out as she took a bite of her sandwich.

Her food was delicious, and Alex was pleased to look over and see that Law had eaten all of his by the time she had finished. He noticed her gaze and scowled, taking a pointed sip of his coffee. The dainty cup the waitress had served his coffee looked ridiculous in his large fingers. He had it drained in a matter of seconds, but thankfully the carafe had been left at the table. She was certain her Captain would try drinking straight from the serving pot if it wouldn’t draw so much scrutiny when they were meant to stay low profile.

Their attention was pulled to directly below them as a small group of Marines walked by the building.

“I can’t imagine they made the Marine Base a treehouse. There must be a fort somewhere,” Law commented once the patrol had made it further down the street. There was no chance of being heard this high up, but Alex released a breath once they turned down another street.

“Actually, unless there’s a cape on the island, they probably have their base on a floating foundation off the port. They wouldn’t want to clear the number of trees required to get a good line of sight from attack,” she commented idly. 

There was a hefty silence from Law that had Alex looking up from the street to find her Captain looking at her in equal parts skepticism and esteem.

She flushed. “ _What?_ ” she snipped in embarrassment. “I’m the daughter of a Marine. I _lived on_ a Marine base for the first nineteen years of my life. I _know_ things, okay?”

“No, please. Continue to divulge intel that the Marines and your family would likely have fits over.” His words were almost cruel but his smile and tone were teasing. It softened the blow, but thinking of her family still pulled her lips into a grimace.

Alex took a sip of her juice and let her gaze fall to where the Marines had vanished. She didn’t say anything in reply, felt the words ball up in her throat. Law shifted in his seat, and when she turned back to look at him, he was leaning casually in his chair, one arm slung over the back. His sharp golden eyes were regarding her consideringly.

“Let’s find the market,” he finally broke the silence after a couple of minutes, gaze pulling away. She wondered what he had been looking for and if he found it or not. His deadpan expression gave nothing away.

They paid for their meal--pirates they may be but to dine-and-dash was sure to draw all sorts of unwanted attention--and followed the street signs to the market square.

The streets had been full of activity but the market square was a chaotic sea of movement, colors, and sounds. There were three discernable levels from what Alex could tell. The first was on the ground level, stalls and tents set up under the tall stilts that held up more permanent shops on the second and third levels. There were walkways on the second and third levels connecting the entire circumference of the market.

At the center of the market was a large fountain with a winged serpent sculpture. It had a scaled body with feathered wings extending towards the canopy and polished fangs the size of her hand. The detail and shadows gave the statue a lifelike quality despite clearly being made of stone.

Alex was mesmerized by the sight but Law spent no more than a passing glance. They wandered aimlessly, spending no more than a few minutes at each stall. The vendors targeted her for their sales and wares more often than they did her Captain. He had an undeniably unapproachable aura to him and spent no more than a few seconds scouring each stall’s inventory, while she was openly admiring the items on display.

A small beaded necklace especially caught her attention. Compared to the rest of the gems and jewelry around it, the black stone on a short silver chain was unobtrusive. Alex recognized it as lava stone.

“You have an eye for simple elegance, my dear,” the stall owner spoke matter-of-factly but not unkindly, following her gaze. He was an older man with hair more grey than black and warm brown eyes. He stayed sitting on a tall stool, as if it was too much trouble to stand to greet his would-be customer. “Lava stone is a calming one. Useful for aromatherapy, too.”

Alex considered the piece, keeping a mental check on Law’s position a few stalls down. He hadn’t seemed to notice she’d stopped yet.

“How much?”

“10,000 beli.” The tone was firm, and she glanced casually over the rest of the items for display. Pieces worth three or four times that with gems that sparkled blue and red. They didn’t draw her eye like the black lava stone did. It was a fair price.

“Deal,” she answered, pulling a few beli from her wallet. “Don’t bother boxing it,” she told him.

He nodded and finally stood, taking the bills and giving her the necklace in return. Alex undid the clasp and pulled it around her neck, feeling the cool stone warm almost instantly in the hollow of her neck. She liked the short chain length, and it wouldn’t be likely to get caught on anything as she worked.

“Thank you for your business,” the man said, already taking a seat again. She hummed in return as she turned. He had interesting business mannerisms to say the least.

By the time she had caught up with Law, he was haggling for a medical book that looked older than the both of them combined. Some information was as ageless as it was priceless, though, and Alex didn’t doubt that the doctor knew something of value may reside within the book.

He glanced at her when she approached, eyes casting down to the thin choker around her neck. He didn’t say anything about the purchase, however. It took a few more minutes before her Captain and the book salesman agreed on a price. Once it was wrapped and bagged, they continued on their way. 

After a couple hours and stops at a medical supply store and a conservatory, the two Heart Pirates made their way back towards the sub. The sun was high in the sky and the heat was building around them. Alex had her flannel tied around her waist, her freckled shoulders bare save for thin straps from her. She attempted to wipe sweat from her forehead and keep her grip from slipping on her bags. Summer islands were the _worst_.

They passed by several of the crew wandering into town to explore and kill time. Law gave Shachi and Penguin an especially threatening look that spoke louder than words ever could-- _stay out of trouble_.

This time Alex managed to stay upright on her feet when Law Shambled them back to the deck, though she still felt queasy and a bit light-headed. Once she was certain she wouldn’t drop anything, herself included, she turned to her Captain with a toothy grin.

“Thanks for joining me.”

He almost looked uncomfortable at the earnest gratitude. “I’m just glad you didn’t pick a fight with the Marines this time. We still have two days here until the log pose resets,” he retorted.

Hey eyes widened in an attempt at demure. “Why Captain, I was a completely innocent bystander in that.”

“Because a bystander steals rifles, threatens and shoots soldiers, then punches a Marine Captain out cold.”

“I didn’t punch him. I hit him with stock of the rifle,” she corrected smartly.

Law raised an eyebrow. “Completely innocent,” he parroted, sarcasm dripping from each word.

Alex threw her head back and laughed. She caught Law glancing at the necklace taut against her neck as she calmed. 

“I’m going to go put these away,” she told him, holding up her shopping bags. One held fresh herbs that needed dried and ground before the heat of the sun rendered them ineffective. “Do you want me to take yours to the med bay?”

He created a Room instead of answering her, and his few purchases disappeared, a couple pieces of paper in hand now. He shoved those in his pocket and looked at her questioningly. She was uncertain if the look was meant to ask if she wanted him to get hers or if she was an idiot who kept forgetting her Captain’s prowess. She rolled her eyes regardless at the showing off.

“I better get inside before I get into any fights. I’d hate to cause any trouble as a _completely innocent bystander_ ,” she sassed, hefting her bags and making for the door. “I’ll see you at dinner, Captain!” she called, leaving the man standing in the baking sun on the deck. 

Law didn’t give her a reply, but when Alex closed her eyes briefly as she shut the door behind her, she could _feel_ his shoulders shaking quietly in laughter. She felt a warmth fill her chest and knew that it had nothing to do with the temperature outside.


	12. Of Tides and Trees

The next morning found Alex on the deck, once again watching the shore. She stood at the railing, stretching languidly to work out some of the soreness from her regular training session with Bepo. The poor mink wasn’t exactly conspicuous on a summer island, so he hadn’t gone out to town with everyone else. 

That hadn’t stopped Alex from dragging the navigator into the thick of the jungle to explore the day before, however. She was even able to help him fight off a few oversized panthers, rifle strapped over one shoulder and her field pack--a present from the crew shortly after her promotion--on the other. Avoiding their claws had been a cakewalk compared to dodging Bepo’s furry fists of fury. Her aim had also significantly improved with the fine tuning of her observation haki, and several of the panthers had fled with pepper bullets aimed to the nose.

There was more activity on the beach this morning compared to the previous day. While some of her crewmates were leaving for the morning to go shopping, others were just crawling back in from a long night of debauchery. 

Shachi and Penguin looked especially sloshed, attempting and half succeeding at holding each other up. Jean Bart was the one responsible for rowing their drunken asses back to the sub.

“Alex-chan!” the redhead called excitedly upon seeing her. He scrambled up the ladder and promptly fell face first over the rail. His momentum carried him forward, rolling until he was at her feet looking up at her. His face was flushed and almost as red as his hair. “You’re so short.”

“And you’re drunk,” she replied dryly, trying to hide a smile behind her hand.

“You should be drunk, too! You’re such a...a…” he tried finding the word.

“Fuddy-duddy,” Penguin supplied, hopping onto the deck. Up close, he didn’t look as inebriated as his partner-in-crime, lacking any redness to his cheeks, but he was swaying heavily on his feet. A hiccup escaped his throat.

“Yeah, that!” Shachi agreed, though he clearly had no idea what the word even meant in his drunken state. He still hadn’t gotten up from where he lay.

Alex snickered, toeing Shachi’s side with her shoe. “There’s a big batch of hangover cure in the mess hall. Drink some water and a glass of that before you go pass out in the bunkrooms, you dorks.” The redhead looked like the sheer idea of getting up right now was too much. “If you puke on my boots, I’ll lace all your underwear with itching powder,” she threatened, noting the greenish tint to his skin.

He promptly rolled over to the edge of the sub and upchucked whatever he had in his stomach. Penguin looked like he was close to following but maintained his composure. She heaved a sigh and left them on the deck as she hopped over the railing onto the row boat below.

“Morning, Jean Bart. I’ll trade you the dinghy for the dummies,” she offered cheekily, ignoring the drunken protests above them.

The large man simply grunted and climbed onto the sub. “Captain doesn’t want anyone going into town alone,” he reminded her with a deep gruff voice.

“I know. I’m only going to shore. There’s a couple of tide pools at the far end of the cove. I’m hoping to collect some samples,” she told him. He nodded his approval and pulled himself onto the deck.

Alex made her way to the beach, pulling the small boat onto the sand well above the high tide line. As she walked to the edge of the cove, she made sure to keep the Polar Tang in line of sight.

Her field pack weighed heavily on her back, filled with her collection kit and jars, each wrapped in cotton to keep them from breaking. The material was an olive green canvas, durable but heavy, and plenty of pockets to stash equipment and supplies. It was bulky and an eyesore, but she absolutely loved it.

There was a great number of flora and fauna in the tide pools. Alex crouched on the balls of her feet to gaze into the crystal clear water. 

Small crabs were crawling in and out of miniature seaweed forests with their little pincers grabbing at particles too small to see, and a bright red starfish was having a hard fought battle against a clam. There were plenty of small fish, anemones, and isopods in the shallow water, all at the mercy of the sun and wind, and too many to count. From one pool to the next, she took note of the different creatures she saw. She made sure to take several samples of seaweed as many species could be either edible or medicinal.

The sun grew in the sky as high tide came in, sweeping through the pools and giving them new life and energy. Alex stood on the rocks with bare feet, her boots and pack set out of reach from the waves.

The setting was peaceful until suddenly it wasn’t.

From one moment to the next, Alex felt dozens of energies closing in on the cove where the Polar Tang rested. None of them were recognizable as her crew, each moving cautiously through the understory of the jungle. 

Panic attempted to seize her, but she forced her feet out of the water, snatched her boots and pack, and took off running to the row boat.

She cast her observation haki to the sub, counting seventeen individual signatures aboard. Taking a deep breath, she pushed her senses further--wider--until she could sense two of her crewmates approaching around the bend. All accounted for other than one--their Captain. His honey gold aura was distinctly missing from the ship, along with Kikoku’s sanguine hue.

The ambushers were a good distance away but steadily inching forward. Their movement screamed Marines and she cursed under her breath.

Alex threw her pack in the dinghy. She ignored the abrasive sensation of shoving her damp and sandy feet in her boots and continued her breakneck pace down the beach and away from the sub.

She ran into Eddy and Freddy who were laughing amongst themselves, thankfully  _ not drunk _ . They shut up and eyed her with matching concerned frowns as she stopped in front of them.

“Marines are approaching the sub,” she panted, taking steady gulps of air. She tried settling her breathing and adrenaline. “Everyone else but Captain is on board. Have you seen him?” she asked insistently.

Her crewmates grew somber at the news, demeanors switching from laid back to battle ready in less than a second.

“We’ve not,” Eddy replied.

“But he left before we did this morning,” Freddy added.

Alex nodded, more to herself than them. “Okay. He’s likely going to be in town.” She caught the brothers’ gazes. “I’ll go find him. I left my pack in the rowboat. Take them both back to the sub and let the other’s know.”

Neither bothered protesting her getting the Captain. She was faster and less imposing than most of the crew.

With encouragements of good luck, the brothers sped forward in the direction of the Polar Tang. Alex didn’t bother watching them go, already running for the town. She let her haki guide her, senses cast out like a net wide. It was exhausting but she knew she needed to find her Captain and tell him the Marines knew they were on the island.

Law was at the outskirts of the port when she finally found him, his energy standing out in her minds’ eye amongst dozens of others despite his physical presence being hidden just inside the doorway of a shop. His eyes locked on hers with a scowl, and she stopped short of reaching him. He grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her behind a stall.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, seeming genuinely surprised and almost angry.

“There are Marines back at the cove,” she told him, her voice a rushed and urgent whisper.

“ _ I know _ . Why aren’t you back on the sub?” he barked. He looked livid now, and Alex couldn’t understand why. Then she noticed the baby Den Den Mushi in his hand and realized that he likely already knew the Marines were attacking the sub because  _ of course _ he wouldn’t be stupid enough to go off on his own without a way to contact the crew.

“Shit,” he cursed under his breath, glancing over her shoulder to several Marine soldiers rushing down the street. “Come on. Bepo has already submerged the Polar Tang. He’s to circle the island a couple times to throw them off the trail, and I usually meet them once things have died down.” He looked at her from the corner of his eye. “We’ll meet them once things have died down,” he corrected, tone still clearly not happy.

Alex let him pull her along. It seemed like they were heading for the edge of the town where wooden buildings gave way to dense trees. His grip was unrelenting and she was fairly certain she’d have bruises from his fingers. She licked her dry lips, chest burning still from her mad dash, though her urgency and concern had given way to the sting of embarrassment.

“I’m sorry, Captain. I should have stayed and reported to Bepo-senpai.”

Law continued to scowl but looked at her fully now. “You’re right, you should have stayed at the Polar Tang,” he told her firmly. “You ran all the way here from the sub, without a weapon, by yourself, knowing Marines are looking for the crew. It was reckless and stupid. Something I would have expected from Shachi or Penguin,” he continued.

Alex felt her throat constrict, shame licking at her heels. She prided herself on being level-headed, even if her stomach felt like lead or her knees quaked with nerves.

Her Captain heaved a sigh, easing his grip on her arm. “What should I expect from a Heart Pirate, though? The entire crew is crazy.”

“We’re your kinda’ crazy,” she replied wetly, willing her voice to be steady. She smiled lightly when he let out a snort.

Then his hand let go of her arm completely to go for the hilt of Kikoku. She followed his gaze to the road ahead. Several Marines blocked their path. Three of the men had their rifles shouldered but--surprisingly--aimed to the ground, while a fourth stood in front of them with Captain’s bars on proud display.

Alex felt all the air rush from her lungs as if she’d been suckerpunched. Her stomach bottomed out, like an anchor in the sea, drowning her ability to breath at the sight of the man in front of her. His shoulders were broad, hair a sandy blonde that reflected hers, deep sapphire eyes that were a contrast to her soft blue. Almost six years since she had seen him, since he had left home to join the Marines. Since she had left home as well, had given up her innocent black and white views of the world, had become a pirate.

“Thomas,” she wheezed.

“ _ Ally _ ,” her brother answered. His tone was gentle and almost reverent, like he was talking to a startled doe. “Ally. It’s me. Thomas. I can’t believe it’s you, I can’t believe you’re alive,” the blonde man rambled, taking small steps forward.

His eyes were entirely on her, but the hand on his sword and his body language told her he hadn’t forgotten about her companion.

“What are you doing here?” she asked. Blood was rushing in her ears. Her brother couldn’t be here. Why was he here?

“I’m here to save you, Ally!” Thomas exclaimed, grip tightening on his sword. “I’ve never stopped looking for you.” His gaze finally left her, looking at Law like he was the worst scum in the entire Grand Line. “It kills me to think that you’ve been held hostage this entire time by the likes of him,” he spat the words. “Trafalgar Law, Surgeon of Death. Give my sister back.”

Her Captain just gave his signature smirk, fingers toying with the guard of his nodachi. “Make me,” he countered, full of confidence and swagger.

Thomas jerked as if pulled by invisible chains. He unsheathed and pointed his sword at Law. His movements were full of rage, and Alex could only see the hot-headed older brother from their younger years behind the Captain bars on his uniform. He wouldn’t stand a chance, and she didn’t want her brother to die.

“I’m not going with you, Thomas,” she told him, her words quiet but firm. 

He didn’t seem to register her response, too busy assessing Law as the immediate threat.

She allowed her voice to rise. “I’m  _ not _ going with you. I wasn’t kidnapped. I’m not a hostage.” 

He was looking at her now, eyes like their father searching her face, trying to find the distress or traces of a lie on her face. He found none. 

She knew her brother, knew he would follow her to the ends of the earth if he thought she needed rescuing. From pirates or from herself, he would always see himself as her knight in shining armor.

So she took a deep breath, steadied her resolve, and told him the truth. “I killed Captain Gifflet.” 

“Ally, it’s okay. You don’t have to lie to protect those pirates anymore…”

“My name is Alex!” she bellowed, knowing he wouldn’t listen unless she hit him with the words like a sledgehammer. “Ally died that night two years ago. My name is Belrose Alex, and I killed Captain Gifflet. I knew the tea would poison him before we even finished dinner. I watched the bastard convulse on the floor as the belladonna killed him.”

There was a clang of metal against stone as her brother dropped his sword. Thomas looked physically ill. He knew her words had to be true. Too many small details--the tea, the poisonous plant, the setting--and she had the knowledge of what needed to be done.

“I poisoned him then ran away, and I’m not sorry for it. I would do it again.” She found herself panting. Meanwhile, Law was chuckling next to her.

With their Captain almost catatonic, the men behind him leveled their rifles at the pirates. They had heard her confession and no good Marine took the murder of their own lying down.

Thomas suddenly threw an arm in front of them, seeming to collect himself. “My dear little sister. I’m sorry that I’ve not found you sooner. Two years is a long time to be under the cruel influence of pirates, and clearly you’ve been manipulated for longer than that. It will take some time, but my superiors will hear your side of the story. An impressionable young woman ensnared under their own noses by a crafty and vile creature. Father should have never let you leave the Base.”

Alex blinked disbelievingly at him. Like a candle snuffed out, she felt all of the rage and grief that she had been carrying for the last two years leave her in an instant. It didn’t matter what she said, he would chase her anyways. The idea of his innocent little sister, tainted by the evils of the world, unknowing that the true villain had been a man with the very same power as him. A terrible dark soul serving under an even more cruel and twisted regime.

Her brother would never see the truth. His world was still black and white.

She reached in her pocket with her left hand and pulled out a pen, holding it out in front of her. “Captain, may I have one of their weapons?”

Law smirked and lifted his own hand. “Room. Shambles.”

One of the Marines cried out in surprise as his gun was replaced by a pen. In her grip was the foreguard of the rifle, her other hand coming up to the trigger while tucking the stock into the crook of her shoulder. She set the sights on her brother.

“We’re leaving, Thomas,” Alex told him.

Thomas’ expression was a mixture of sorrow and...pride? “You know I can’t let you do that, Ally.”

Her eye twitched but she took a calming breath through her nose. “I don’t think I hafta’ ask permission anymore, big bro.” 

Before he could blink, she raised her rifle and fired off two successive shots. There was a loud  _ CRACK _ from above them where the supporting ropes for an overhead balcony had been cleaved in two. Suddenly, the entire structure was falling down on their heads. The Marines cried out in surprise, rushing to dodge the flying debris.

Meanwhile, Law--who had kept his Room active--had Shambled he and Alex several streets away in the chaos.

She felt her heart racing and her knees quiver. The determination to put as much distance between them and her brother as possible kept her standing. She turned to her Captain and his shit-eating grin caught her by surprise.

“Your bounty is about to go up,” he informed her.

“Captain!” she exclaimed in exasperation but couldn’t keep from mirroring his sudden good mood.

There was shouting growing closer, undoubtedly Marines sweeping the streets in search of them. Law’s expression turned serious again. “We need to get moving.”

She hummed in consideration, then looked to the treeline. “We can lose them in the jungle. The underbrush is thick enough they won’t be able to send a platoon without worrying about getting picked off.”

Her Captain nodded and they took off for the trees. Alex let her year on Wayward guide her. The plants may be different, but there was a familiar sense to weaving through vines and shrubs. She paused beneath a particularly large tree and turned to the man behind her, pointing upward. He crooked an eyebrow but seemed to catch her meaning. In an instant, they were in the canopy.

Alex blamed the mad dash into town, the emotional roller coaster of seeing her brother after  _ six years _ , and the subsequent adrenaline crash for landing on her ass once again, on a ridiculously wide tree branch, several stories in the air. Not aiming for dignity at this point, she fully sprawled out, gazing at the upper canopy overhead. She slid her stolen rifle to the side.

Law sat down somewhere across from her. Several minutes passed and the noises of the jungle grew around them.

“How long do you think until we can meet back up with the crew?” she asked from her supine position.

“Normally I would say a couple hours. With your brother on the island, however, I imagine the Marines will amp their search efforts. We’ll likely be stuck here until tomorrow.” 

There was no blame in his tone but Alex grimaced anyways. She didn’t bother apologizing again for coming to find him, though. He had already forgiven her in that odd way of his.

“Hey Captain,” she asked softly.

“What?” he replied.

“Thank you for letting me join the crew.” She knew there was a rawness to her tone, but he was her Captain and she could allow herself to be vulnerable in front of him.

The jungle hummed around them as they sat in silence. Then he responded after almost a full minute pause.

“Tell me about Ally,” Law ordered.

She sat up in equal parts surprise and confusion to look at him. “What?”

There was a calm, serious expression on his face. One arm was propped on his knee, while the other rested on Kikoku across the other straightened leg. “You told me when you joined that your family wouldn’t know Alex, but you were Ally for the first twenty-one years of your life. You wouldn’t be here without her. So who was she?”

Alex considered the question, thinking of her interaction with Thomas. The overwhelming feeling of being coddled and dismissed, left behind on an island that didn’t acknowledge their mother’s existence and treated her ambitions as folly. There was a large divide between them now, and not just because he was a Marine and she was a pirate.

“Ally…” she started hesitantly. “...was a girl who lost her mother when she was young. A mother who always talked about helping the world and making it a better place. With an older brother who protected her. And a father who gave her whatever she asked for. A young woman raised to see the whole world as black and white, and that every problem was as simple as its solution.” 

She thought to the island of sick villagers, asking for doctors and medicine their island didn’t have. How they begged for help. The answering spray of red from bullets and the flames that engulfed the huts afterwards.

“Even after he had killed those villagers, I had accepted the dinner with Captain Gifflet that evening with hopes of convincing him to spare the rest. The poison...I didn’t even think anything about it when I slipped it in my pocket. I thought I could talk to him. I was raised to see Marines as righteous and just, but how he talked about those people...dogs to be put down, a stain on the rest of the world, not accepting their lot in life.

“When he told me he was going to go after the survivors-- _ the elderly and children _ \--Ally died the same moment I knew I would have to kill him to stop the genocide. She couldn’t hurt someone that way, poison a man’s tea when his back was turned.  _ But Alex could. _ ”

Slowly, the sounds of the jungle disappeared.

Alex felt something cold creeping into her chest, like icy claws reaching around her ribs and keeping her lungs from expanding, locking her breath in place. It was the same feeling she had sitting across from the Marine Captain, knowing she was going to kill him and would have to live with the consequences. The one that worsened with the sensation of being  _ alone _ . It was her frequent companion on Wayward, but now only seldomly creeped into the dark corners of the sub.

_ Hatred _ . 

The feeling was hatred--towards the man who murdered innocents, towards a world that allowed such atrocities to happen, towards herself for feeling any sorrow at taking his despicable life. It was a feeling so pure and unadulterated with such fervor that it locked her in place.

There was suddenly a pressure on chin, forcing her face up, and her gaze re-focused. She jerked, realizing that Law was kneeling in front of her and his fingers gripped her firmly but not harshly. His expression was critical, golden eyes burning across her features.

“Breathe,” he directed.

Alex sucked in a large breath, the ice now burning in her lungs. She didn’t understand what was happening until finally she did.

She was having a panic attack.

She wanted to laugh and cry but what escaped her throat instead was a wheeze. The raspy breaths took several minutes to ease, and only once her breathing was normal did Law let go of her face.

“I’m too tired now to be mortified,” she told her Captain honestly, letting her forehead fall to rest on her knees as she drew them to her chest. It was easier to breathe now, but her eyes felt unbearably heavy.

Law didn’t answer her. She glanced up to find him sitting again, but closer than before. He was watching the forest floor.

“I saw my sister Lami while I was sick,” his voice was lower than normal, and Alex had to strain to hear him. “She died when they set the hospital on fire.” She didn’t have to ask which ‘they’ he was referring. “I had fever dreams about her. I woke up thinking she was still alive.”

Alex hugged her knees tighter. She knew he wasn’t sharing to garner sympathy, and she didn’t bother offering it. Her chest felt considerably lighter knowing he was trying to ease her pain by sharing his own, though. They were different pains but only because there was no true scale to weigh someone’s hurt.

It also explained why her Captain had been in such a foul mood the last few weeks. His demons may be older, years in the past, but the mind worked in terrible and mysterious ways.

_ Pururururu. Pururururu. _

They both flinched at the baby Den Den Mushi ringing in Law’s pocket. He pulled it out.

“This is Law.”

_ “Yosh, Captain,” _ Bepo’s familiar voice replied.  _ “It’s good to know you’re okay.” _

"Alex is here, too," Law added, glancing her way.

_ “Ah, so you found her,” _ the mink sighed, the snail mimicking his relieved expression. Law covered their transponder’s eyes and gave her an accusatory look as if to blame her for the bear’s distress. She had the decency to look abashed.

"Yes, I found her. We ran into some company. I'll fill you all in later," he spoke, removing his hand. "What's your position?"

_ “We’re on the northside of the island, avoiding the scouting parties. We won’t be able to pick you up back at the cove, but there’s a couple beaches we can get close enough for you to board.” _

“How long until the log pose resets?” the Captain asked.

_ “Tomorrow, late morning.” _

“Stay submerged and close to the island until then. Call back once the log pose resets and we’ll meet you."

_ "Aye Captain!" _

Law hung up and put the baby Den Den Mushi back in his pocket. The quiet hush of the jungle surrounded them again.

Alex tilted to her side, untying her flannel from her waist and laying it over her like a blanket. “I’m going to take a nap. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long night.”

“Oh?” her Captain replied, one eyebrow raised.

“Yep,” she said, popping the ‘p’ matter-of-factly. “Let’s just say, Bepo and I made friends with some panthers yesterday. They’re normally nocturnal creatures but I’m pretty sure we disturbed their lair. They threw a pretty big hissy fit, so I imagine we’re going to end up with visitors.”

“I feel like friend isn’t the term you should be using,” Law said dryly. “And in any case, we also have to worry about the Marines combing the island. In case you forgot about your valiant brother trying to rescue you.”

“From the ‘crafty and vile creature.’ Which would be you,” she reminded him, then scowled. “If he calls me ‘impressionable’ again, he’s going to have a stinging nettle pellet to the ass.”

She pulled her flannel up to her chin. “But regardless, we’ll be good for now. Procedure says to report back to Base to regroup in the case of missing targets then to grid search the entire island. We’ve got a couple hours at least.”

Her Captain was looking at her oddly again and she felt her hackles rise. “Daughter of a Marine. Grew up on a Base. There’s literally a training manual my father had me read,” she reminded him again.

“By all means, enjoy your nap then,” he told her smartly, but despite the sarcasm, he was settling himself back against the tree, the brim of his hat pulled low to cover his eyes. She knew he wouldn’t actually sleep until they were back on the Polar Tang, though.

Alex didn’t bother to answer, closing her eyes.

The humid air and hum of the jungle was almost stifling to her senses, but her Captain’s presence kept her grounded. She spent a couple minutes studying the distinct patterns of Kikoku’s smoky red aura ebbing against Law’s liquid gold, almost acting like a filter to create a burnt orange color. 

Eventually, the physical and emotional fatigue of the day pulled her into a dreamless slumber.


	13. Of Panthers and Potatoes

Even high up in the canopy of the trees, the only discernible way to tell the passing of time was the dimming of the light filtering through the leaves. Law knew it had been a few hours since they had made shelter on the wide branch, several stories above the jungle floor. He couldn’t make out the sky, but eventually the light took on a reddish hue. It was at least early evening.

He looked from his surroundings to the figure curled up next to him. Alex had indeed fallen asleep, no regard for being over a hundred meters above the ground. She was wrapped in that ridiculous green flannel at least one size too big for her small frame. The rise and fall of her chest was steady, light hair obscuring half her face. She was seemingly dead to the world. 

He wanted to scold her for falling asleep at such an inopportune time. An enemy or jungle animal could attack at any moment, but true to her prediction, there had been no sign of Marines yet and any large predators seemed to avoid the heat of the day.

Law knew to expect company eventually but begrudgingly let Alex sleep.

Truthfully, he was less impressed by her ability to nap in such a bizarre location than by the fact that she hadn’t moved or made a single noise since she had drifted off. He would have assumed the woman would be a restless sleeper, especially in the humidity of the jungle. Law was miserable himself and his jacket felt too coarse against his skin which was slick with sweat. 

As he thought on the topic, however, he realized the heat may very well be the reason for her immobile state. Her last long term residence had been a summer island infested with giant bugs that likely would have loved an easy sleeping meal. One wrong move or sound would have given away her position.

Despite her current immobility, Law knew Alex wasn’t a deep sleeper. Their late night--or early morning, depending on how one looked at it--that had started the odd routine of her bringing him coffee was proof enough. He knew his apothecary had infrequent nightmares. 

He wondered idly what kind of horrible, selfish Captain would want his crew to suffer sporadic insomnia to give him the rare midnight company. Law could never deny being a selfish man, though, and he had grown fond of the quiet hours with her presence in the med bay.

Even throughout the day, where Alex was more lively and more likely to invade the boundaries of his office (Law ignoring the blaring fact that he now left the door open more often than not), he found her insights on medicine to be a welcome contrast to his own. She had few qualms with telling him off. She was self-assured in her knowledge of plants and tonics. Law was humble enough to acknowledge her expertise, and she deferred to his knowledge of the human body.

The steady confidence was a stark contrast to the despondent woman that sat across from him a few hours ago. He had recognized the signs. He watched her eyes glaze, breathe stutter to a halt, shoulders curling inwards as if to make herself as small as possible. He recognized the shadows along her face as the same ones that frequently haunted his dreams and knew he had to do something to dispel them before they consumed her.

Like they had almost consumed him before Strawhat-ya and his selfless crew had undoubtedly saved him.

As Law watched her now, freckled features smoothed and sleeping peacefully, he appreciated the quiet and steadfast resolve that he knew lied beneath the surface. He knew that he could never protect her from the taints of the world, knew it wasn’t his place even as her Captain, but he knew he wanted to safeguard that fierce determination she had to help others. It was the same notion instilled upon him as the son of doctors, a small ember that had survived despite the tragedies in his life, and led him to continue carrying the title of doctor.

Even if he was known as the  _ Surgeon of Death _ .

There was a low rustle around them, the jungle sounding a brief alarm then going eerily quiet. Law watched the forest floor below closely, eyes narrowing as the distinctive white of Marine uniforms emerged from the shadows of the underbrush.

There were a dozen men in total. Those leading were cutting through the vegetation with their swords or machetes, and the ones trailing had their rifles at the ready. They didn’t talk as they walked between the trees, staying a set distance from another unless encountering an obstacle like a tree trunk or boulder.

Law reached over to nudge Alex awake, but he found her already awake and watching him before he had even touched her shoulder. Her eyes found his. Their light blue color almost looked violet in the red of the evening shadows. Without saying anything, she sat up and looked to the men below.

The pilfered rifle was in her hands. The gun’s sites found a target wordlessly and tracked it along the Marines’ paths.

She had already been aware of their company’s presence, he realized. He wondered how attuned her observation haki truly was, how sharp it became in moments of duress.

The men continued their makeshift path through the jungle, unaware of two sets of eyes and a gun following them. There couldn’t have been any trained haki users, otherwise the pirates’ position would have been glaringly obvious. The forest was silent around them. Law could hear both his and Alex’s breathing, loud in his ears. The rhythm of her breathing was as steady as her hands.

Then as quickly as the Marines appeared, they disappeared in the direction heading further inland.

There was a subtle shift from sniper back to apothecary. Neutral facial expression pulling into mild discomfort as she rolled her shoulders. A small frown tugged at her brow and lips. Law marveled at the slight changes in her body language.

Alex set the gun back down, flannel half-draped across her frame. She shrugged it off, leaving her shoulders bare in her black halter top. The ends of her hair brushed past her collarbones. It had grown a couple inches since she had joined the crew. The rough black stone necklace she had bought the day before in the market hung in the hollow of her neck.

“Leave it to the Marines to ruin a good nap,” she griped, reaching into one of the pockets on her shorts to pull out a hair tie. She quickly swept her hair back into a short braid. “Thanks for letting me sleep, Captain.”

“From what you told me of your and Bepo’s adventures, it sounds like we won’t be getting much rest tonight,” he quipped. “Let’s start heading for the coast. We’ll be at an advantage if I have a better line of sight for any attacks. Animal or otherwise.”

She nodded and stood, wrapping her flannel around her waist. The way she secured the rifle across her back and carried herself spoke volumes of her upbringing. The bounce in her step spoke even louder of the spirit packed into such a small frame. A part of Law shuddered to think if this woman had been forced into her brother’s expectations. 

From what Law could gather, Alex had been raised a fighter with a soldier’s instincts by her father and a healer with a strong moral compass by her mother. Someone like that would have withered trapped on land. She belonged to the sea just as much as any other sailor, and Law felt a hint of pride at how damned good a pirate she made.

“How good is your balance?” Alex asked.

He found her judging the distance from the branch they were on to one half a story below. “Why?” he asked warily, already dreading her reply.

Rather than answering him, she took a large step back then sprang forward in a flurry of movement. Law found himself activating his Room on instinct, but she made the landing without any difficulty or slips.

She turned back to look at him, grinning ear to ear. Her cheeks were flushed more from exhilaration than exertion, and Law concluded that his apothecary was a mad woman.

“I didn’t take you for an adrenaline junky,” he clipped, fingers flexing at his side.

She rolled her eyes. “It’s quicker to travel along the branches than through the brush, and we’re less likely to run into the Marines up here than down there. Plus, vantage point,” she said cheekily.

Law closed his eyes and took a deep, sighing breath. Unfortunately, she had a point. “Fine.” 

He dismissed his Room. There was no sense in wasting his energy if they ran into trouble or if one of them slipped. His Devil Fruit was more than quick enough to snatch one of them from the air.

Law was able to jump to her branch without much effort, his legs significantly longer. Alex led the way and he let her, her shorter stride more limited than his own. She didn’t seem to have any difficulty navigating the canopy, however, and Law was begrudging to admit they made it to the coast much quicker than if they had walked the jungle floor.

By the time they were half a mile from shore, the branches were too small to hold them both anymore. Finally, in a flourish of acrobatics, Alex landed on the ground in a  _ ta-da _ pose. Law Shambled himself beside her where a stray fallen branch had been.

Night was starting to fall, so they opted to stay hidden amongst the foliage adjacent to the beach rather than sitting out in the open on the sand. The moon hung low, half full yet still bright in the sky and reflecting in the sea. A gentle and warm breeze rustled the leaves around them and encouraged small waves to roll onto land.

Law was thankful they were on a summer island or there may have been genuine danger of hypothermia without equipment or the ability to start a fire. Any flame would be visible for miles out at sea with the calm weather, and the Marines were undoubtedly circling the island looking for a tell on their position. The air was still heavy and humid, though, so they were able to camp out in relative comfort as the light faded.

They sat in silence most of the night, Law facing the sea as Alex watched the trees. He trusted his entire crew implicitly, their newest addition no exception. After all, how could he doubt her resolve when she had turned her own family away. Though as best as he could tell, from her stilted interaction with her brother and the apparent lack of his presence in her life in recent years, the Marine Captain may have been the one to turn her away first.

Well into the early morning hours, Law felt Alex shift beside him. She pulled something from her pocket, and with a wide flick threw something into the trees. There was a hushed  _ crack _ followed by a snarling hiss and rustling of brush as something ran off.

“What was that?” Law asked, brow arching.

“One of the panthers.”

“No, what did you throw?”

“Oh. It’s a cherry popper,” Alex replied, handing him a small object no larger than a coin. In his fingers, it felt like a sack of small rocks. He could see why it was called ‘cherry’ with the paper wrapping twisted at one end to look like a stem. “Normally, they’re only noisemakers. Sand or gravel packed with a tiny amount of explosives. When you throw them, they ignite and explode. After Bepo and I fought the panthers, I had an idea to make them dosed with capsaicin.”

Even in the dark, Law was sure his inquiring look was felt.

“Capsaicin,” she put the small pellet away, “is a chemical found in peppers, gives them their spicy kick. Technically, it’s an irritant in mammals. Especially if it gets into the nose or eyes. Bepo gave me the idea when he said that some of Yachi’s spicy dishes really burn his nose.”

Law blinked, as Bepo had never really mentioned anything to him on the matter, but it would explain why the panther turned tail and ran. Law wasn’t particularly fond of spicy, but he couldn’t imagine getting a nose full of the stuff.

Silence fell around them once more.

Through the night, Alex had used her pepper pellets three more times with the same results. Only once did Law have to step in with his Devil Fruit abilities when a panther braved past the burn of explosives and chemicals. There was no sign of the Marines.

Eventually, the horizon began to lighten and the first inkling of dawn gave the sky a greenish hue where it met the sea.

Law glanced over his shoulder to Alex, who was leaning against a palm tree. Despite her nap earlier, she still looked tired and weary. Meanwhile, Law had been awake for close to twenty-four hours, but the insomnia wasn’t abnormal. He welcomed the familiar dull ache behind his eyes. He was on his third or fourth wind as the sun crested the sea.

_ Purururu. Purururu. _

The baby Den Den mushi was going off earlier than expected. With a frown, Law answered.

“Bepo, report. Have you all had any problems?”

_ “Sorry, no Captain. I’m calling because the log pose has already reset.” _

Law wasn’t going to question luck in their favor. “Good. We’re on the eastern most side of the island. Can you meet us within a half hour?”

He practically felt Alex sag in relief next to him.

_ “Of course, Captain,” _ the mink replied, the transponder snail standing at attention.  _ “Do you or Alex need medical attention upon boarding?” _

The question was standard for the Captain following an extended separation from the Polar Tang. Trouble tended to follow him, but such was the life of a pirate.

“No, we’re both in good health. Nothing more than a few hours of sleep can’t cure,” he replied. Alex gave a hum of agreement next to him. “We’ll be waiting.”

_ “Aye,” _ Bepo replied, then the snail was back to sleep.

“Never in my life had I thought I could miss a bear so much,” Alex joked.

Even though it had only been a day, Law found himself agreeing with her sentiment. “He’s especially comfortable to nap on,” he informed, grinning haughtily.

She side eyed him with a look of consideration. “I’m sure Bepo-senpai would be willing to let his poor, battered kohai use him as a pillow.”

Law gave her an incredulous look. “You mean his subordinate who should have stayed with the sub instead of rushing off to find their Captain on an island swarming with Marines?”

Instead of being embarrassed, she stuck her tongue out at him childishly. Law resisted the urge to cut it out. “I definitely saved you from righteous ‘brotherly’ love. Thomas totally knew I was on the island. He would have been a thorn in your side until you told him where I was.”

Law chuckled. They both knew her brother wouldn’t have stood a chance against the Surgeon of Death.

Finally, as the sun rose fully above the water, a familiar yellow submarine breached the surface. Bepo was the first out, waving to greet them both as he threw down a couple pieces of wood down onto the deck.

With a flourish, Law had created a Room large enough to encompass the beach and the Polar Tang. Alex stepped closer without needing to be told, looking longingly towards the sub. He swapped their position with the items set out by the first mate.

Both were swept up into the bear's arms. Immediately, Alex let out a wet laugh and buried her face into Bepo's chest. Law just allowed himself to be pulled into the emotional hug.

Mindful of the Marines still scouring the island, the trio made their way back inside to the sub could submerge back to the relative safety beneath the surface.

Alex immediately requested a meal, so they made their way down to the mess hall. Law caught Bepo up as they walked. Their apothecary added details as needed, but her focus seemed entirely set on food. Just as much her doctor as her Captain, Law was content with the size of her appetite now given how difficult it had been to get her to a healthy weight after she had been so malnourished when she joined the crew.

They were served a thick stew with curious chunks of purple. He stirred it doubtfully.

“They’re the island’s native potato,” Alex told him around a spoonful. “They grow in pockets of canopy soil in the trees, like at the base or forks of branches. Bepo and I found them the same time we ran into the panthers.”

“Why are they purple?” Law asked. He knew between her botany knowledge and Yachi’s cooking skills, they would never allow the crew to ingest anything poisonous. Purple potatoes didn’t compute, however.

“It’s a pigment that protects them from sun exposure. Like sunblock for plants,” she replied. He stared, and she fidgeted in her seat. “What? They taste just like a regular potato, but they’re higher in antioxidants,” she defended.

He continued to stare. “How do you fit all of that in your head?”

Alex ducked her gaze away and legitimately blushed, the red creeping all the way down to her neck. “I don’t know.”

“I’m not judging. I’m simply marveling how stupid the Marines are for letting you slip through their fingers,” he told her as she sputtered, and it wasn’t empty praise. Law genuinely believed he had one of the best apothecaries in the Four Blue on his crew.

“I have to fit it all,” she answered quietly. “How else can I cure the most contagious diseases in the Four Blue?” 

Her shy glance towards him held a lot of meaning. Her words were selected carefully. He remembered leaving that specific book for her to decipher, how he opened up to her about Flevance and Amber Lead. He knew the book still sat on her desk, sticky notes and tabs sticking out from its pages.

This woman genuinely wanted to cure the incurable.

“I wouldn’t expect less from the apothecary of the world’s best doctor and future pirate king,” he told her firmly.

Her eyes were watery but only pride and contentment shone through her smile. “You can count on me, Captain.”

“I know I can.”

They finished their meal in silence.


	14. Of Reindeer and Strata

There was a murmur amongst the crew that next morning by the time Alex made it into the mess hall. She had slept a solid fourteen hours straight the night before after her and Law’s island adventure. Least to say, Bepo’s disappointed and worried looks had been a thousand times worse than Law’s temperous scolding. She hated seeing the poor mink so sad.

After getting a tray of assorted breakfast foods, Alex took a seat next to Penguin. Shachi was facedown on the table and Bepo patted his head sympathetically.

“What’s got everyone in a tizzy?” she asked.

“We heard from the Strawhat Pirates earlier. Turns out both our ships are only a couple hours away from the same island. They want to meet up,” Penguin told her.

That was a genuine surprise to her. “Is that a bad thing? I thought we were allied to the Strawhat Pirates?”

Shachi snorted on the other side of Penguin. “Their definition of an alliance has been much different than ours. I don’t think Captain minds too much anymore, though, cuz’ he complains way less than he used to. But that Strawhat can be a whirlwind.”

“Strawhat as in their Captain, right? Monkey D. Luffy?” she asked wearily. The three nodded.

Alex knew reputations could be and often were greatly exaggerated. Take Law’s for example. He was certainly ruthless in battle and to those who may have ill will towards the crew, but he wasn’t murderous for no reason. In fact, she hadn’t actually seen him kill anyone needlessly. Even the Marines they fought often ended up in easily re-attachable pieces.

Strawhat Luffy's reputation was worse in some ways, especially according to the rumors that had been spreading when he had first arrived in the Grand Line. His antics had caused a stir on Dumbbell at the base just before she left, to the point her father had almost refused to let her leave. Then the Strawhats all but disappeared from the news until after she had left the Marines.

“How did they even find us if we’re submerged?” she inquired.

Both Shachi and Penguin turned pointed stares to Bepo, who looked despondent and was apologizing under his breath.

“They have Bepo’s vivre card,” Penguin said. “So it reacts more when we’re close enough.”

“Strawhat called on the Den Den Mushi and said he wanted to go on an adventure. Captain never turns Strawhat down,” Shachi added.

Alex was sure there was a story behind the Captains’ interactions but didn’t press.

“What’s their crew like?”

“They’re wild,” said Penguin.

“There's no female bears…” bemoaned Bepo.

“They’re bat-shit insane,” attested Shachi.

She laughed and nodded, even though they gave her no real answer. “So I can see how our crews would actually make good allies,” she teased to the protest of her crewmates.

Within the hour, Alex felt the telltale pressure release against her ears that told her they were ascending. She swung by the women’s bunkroom to leave a note for Ikkaku who had been on night shift in the engine room and hadn’t gone to bed until Alex was leaving for breakfast.

By the time she made it to the deck, there was a large lion figurehead greeting her. While the Polar Tang was shaped like a surgeonfish, clearly made for underwater travel, the wooden vessel was lean and tall. Even with her sails away, the ship was impressive for such a small crew in both size and maneuverability. It drifted into position as members from both crews tossed fenders along the side to protect their hulls while using ropes to anchor off one another.

“TORAO!” There was a shout from across the gap between the ships, a blur of movement as something was flung across both decks. A resounding  _ OOF _ escaped her Captain as he hit the deck.

Alex blinked at the heap that had become her Captain, and rather than something, there was  _ someone _ on top of him. She recognized him easily as Monday D. Luffy, Captain of the Strawhat Pirates.

“Strawhat-ya.  _ Get off me. _ ” Law looked the genuine kind of pissed that normally had limbs flying but he didn’t reach for Kikoku, which had been scattered a few feet away. Regardless, Alex took several steps away--for self-preservation purposes, of course.

Another Strawhat Pirate hopped over the railing and walked over to his Captain, hauling him off Law like the boy was a paperweight. The green hair, scar over his left eye, and three katanas hanging at his side made for an unforgettable impression.

“Damnit Luffy. Chill out or I’ll wait an extra thirty seconds to fish you out next time you miss when you go launching off like that.”

“Ah, Zoro. But I’ve not seen Torao in forever!”

Alex watched with equal parts uncertainty and fascination at the odd dynamic between Captain and first mate. 

Law pulled himself back into a standing position, one of the muscles around his left eye already twitching. Bepo handed him Kikoku from the deck.

There was a tense moment where the two Captains and first mates faced each other. Strawhat was still being held up by the back of his shirt by Roronoa, his squirming the only movement on the deck.

“Good to see you, Zoro-ya,” Law finally spoke. 

The other swordsman inclined his head in greeting. Meanwhile Strawhat wailed at being ignored. When her Captain smirked, Alex realized that Law was baiting the younger Captain. She let out the breath she was holding, relaxing knowing there wasn’t any serious fighting between the two crews likely in their future.

The bizarre interaction was the only cue needed, and then the Heart and Strawhat crews were intermingling between the two vessels.

Alex stayed off to the side, trying to place each face with their bounty poster and names. Pirate Hunter Zoro. Blackleg Sanji. Cat Burglar Nami. Devil Child Nico Robin. God Usopp. Iron Man Franky. Soul King Brook. Former Warlord and Knight of the Sea Jinbe. They were all large bounties and powerhouses in their own right.

A small furry figure caught her attention, one she didn’t immediately recognize from a bounty poster. It--he?--was fluttering in and out of Law’s periphery, as if too shy to call the man’s attention but wanting to be in his presence. Textbook hero-worship.

She finally placed him--it was definitely a him despite the roundness of his face--as Cotton Candy Lover Chopper. The Marines listed him as the Strawhat’s pet, but one would have to be blind or dumb to miss the spark of intelligence behind his dark eyes. Never let it be said the Marines were bright, though.

Alex walked over and knelt in front of him. “Hello, my name is Alex. I’m the newest member of the Heart Pirates. You must be Chopper-san. Pardon my intrusion, but are you a reindeer by any chance?”

His eyes widened. “You can tell?!” his voice squeaked. He immediately seemed to collect himself, scuffing one hook against the deck. “I mean...of course I am, idiot!”

Despite the harsh words, Alex could tell that he was happy with her identification.

Shachi stepped forward to join them, towering over her and Chopper. “Oi, Alex-chan. How were you able to tell? We all thought he was a tanuki when we first met him,” the redhead asked.

“He has antlers, doofus,” she told him, motioning as politely as possible to said appendages. “My home island had caribou, remember? That’s just another word for  _ reindeer _ . Of course I’d recognize what he is.”

Then she turned to the tiny reindeer. He looked too precious and she wanted to just cuddle him. “You have really healthy looking antlers and your fur looks really soft,” she told him, enjoying his bashful expressions.

“Your compliments don’t make me happy, you jerk!” His wiggling dance stated otherwise and Alex laughed.

“You must have eaten a Devil Fruit,” she surmised.

Chopper nodded. “Ah-ha. I ate the Hito Hito no Mi. I’m a human reindeer! And I’m going to be the greatest doctor one day!”

A talking reindeer for a doctor, which would also explain the little guy’s fixation on Law. Only in the Grand Line. Alex couldn’t help but encourage him with all her being.

“Strawhat-san is very fortunate to have you on his crew then. I’d love to talk medicine with you eventually, Chopper-san,” she told him honestly.

“You’re a doctor, too?” he asked eagerly.

“No, I’m an apothecary,” she told him only to receive a confused look. “An apothecary is someone who specializes in making medicines. I know a lot about chemicals, plants, and animals. Anything used to treat different conditions.”

“I see.” Then his round face lit up in excitement. “You should talk to Usopp! He knows all about plants, too.”

Alex promised she would if the reindeer’s crewmate was ever free to do so.

Roronoa had set Strawhat down by now and the rubbery man was bouncing from one end of the deck to the other. It made Alex’s head spin a little, but she could appreciate his enthusiasm if nothing else.

“Nami said there’s treasure on the next island!” the Strawhat Captain exclaimed, hand holding the namesake hat on his head steady. “Come on, Toroa! Let’s go find it!”

“I said there were  _ legends _ of a treasure, Luffy,” Nami replied, coming over to box her Captain upside the head. The orange-haired woman was as beautiful as her bounty poster made her out to be. Alex was fairly certain they would be close to the same height if not for the other woman’s significant heels.

“I believe the legends also said the treasure was cursed. Whoever finds it is doomed to die a horrific and merciless death,” Nico Robin added, an amused smile playing across her lips as she leaned against the railing of the Strawhats’ ship.

Law turned in Robin’s direction and gave her a dark grin. “You’d know of curses, wouldn’t you Nico-ya?”

“Curses? Luffy! You didn’t mention anything about curses!” the long-nosed man exclaimed.

“I didn’t?” Strawhat said, picking his nose. “Huh, I must have forgot. Oops.  _ Shishishi. _ ”

Alex watched the chaos on deck unfold. Shachi was right, this crew was bat-shit insane.

There was a gentle tug on her flannel. She turned to Chopper who was fighting off bashfulness with false bravado. “When we get to the island, would you like to look for the treasure together, Alex-san?”

“I’d love to, Chopper-san,” she replied truthfully. “If my Captain agrees to the treasure hunt.” Which apparently wasn’t much of a concern.

As Shachi had said this morning, their Captain had a difficult time saying no to Strawhat. He folded like a wet towel. Which was how both crews found themselves anchoring in the cove of a deserted island.

The island was small, and Alex was surprised it even had a large enough magnetic field to draw the log pose. The landscape was one giant rock outcrop, with relatively no greenery to speak of. It seemed barren. One could wonder how a treasure could have been buried on this island, but begrudgingly admitted that anything was possible in the Grand Line.

The two crews split up to scour the island with agreements that if treasure was indeed found, it would be split equally amongst the two crews regardless who found it. Watching Law argue with Cat Burglar Nami over the details of the deal had been a nerve-wracking experience.

With her Captain’s approval, Alex set off with Chopper to scour the rocky terrain. He was in his Walk Point form for better balance and travel distance. She thought he was even cuter in this form, but refrained from telling him so.

The young human reindeer was trying his best to put on a brace face, but he was clearly uneased by the apparent lack of life on the island. “It’s like there’s nothing here. If there’s treasure, maybe it really is cursed like Robin said. M-maybe the whole island is cursed,” his voice quivered.

She crested a large boulder and waited for her companion to jump up. He looked at her oddly when she sat down and patted the rock next to her. He folded his legs under himself, his large form taking up most of the room. He was watching around them wearily.

“I don’t believe this island is cursed,” she told him firmly.

“You don’t?” he asked with surprise. His voice sounded so young.

“Nope,” she reaffirmed. “Wanna’ know why?”

He tilted his head in curiosity, antlers dipping with the movement.

“You see that bird?” she asked, pointing further up the outcrop.

Chopper followed her finger, gaze finally spotting a small brown bird perched on a rock ledge high above the beach. He seemed surprised at seeing a bird but nodded his head.

“It’s made a nest. That requires materials to build--lichen, sticks, grasses. And I hardly think a bird would build its home or raise its young on a cursed island. They need food and safety to grow. There’s a teeming ecosystem on this island. You just have to know how to look,” she assured him.

Deciding that there were plenty of others looking for treasure on the island, Alex decided to veer from the plan. “Do you wanna help me look for specimens, Chopper-san? I think your nose would help me greatly.”

His relief at doing something other than hunting for a supposedly-cursed treasure was palpable. “What kind of specimens?”

“I’m looking for a certain species of lichen that makes a potent antibiotic. I’ve been told that reindeer have a nose for lichen,” she grinned cheekily, nudging his large form. “Come on, let’s find something better than treasure.”

They spent hours scouring the rocks. Chopper’s nose proved more than effective for hunting lichen. Soon, the reindeer seemed to have forgotten all his reserves about the island. Especially after they had stumbled upon several inhabited birds’ nests, which is how Alex learned from Chopper--who could apparently talk to other animals--that birds of the sea cursed like sailors, no matter how uninhabited the island was.

He was still in his Walk Point, helping to carry several full packs of specimens, by the time they made it back to the beach where everyone had dispersed.

Almost everyone had already made it back.

Alex blinked at the disheveled look of her Captain. He was sitting on a piece of driftwood with Kikoku in the sand at his feet, coat torn in a couple places and his hat looking a little singed. Strawhat’s head was thrown back in a full fit of belly-laughter, but he was looking just as rough with large splotches of mud caking his face and red jacket.

Behind them, Roronoa and Bepo were laying on their backs, looking as if they were still catching their breaths.

Then the large chests and pieces of priceless artifacts laid in a haphazard pile in the sand caught her eye. Nami was eyeing the haul with a joyous expression across her face. She was suspiciously clean and her clothes were immaculate.

Alex couldn’t help the guffaw that escaped her from looking at the scene. She couldn’t even tamper her glee as her Captain glared at her from under the bill of his hat.

“So I take it you found the cursed treasure?” she asked with a giggle, ducking whatever he threw at her. She was pretty sure it was a gold brick.

“Yosh! Time to celebrate!” shouted Strawhat.

There were equal cheers from both the Strawhat and Heart Pirates, though Alex was pretty sure Law was groaning behind the hand on his face.

The merriment afterwards was a whirlwind of chaos. A large bonfire was made, with lots of drinking and singing and story-telling scattered around.

Shachi and Penguin got absolutely trashed after challenging Roronoa to a drinking competition. Apparently, something similar had occurred before she joined the crew, but when neither one of them had been able to match the swordsman before, he allowed them to challenge him two-to-one. He more than matched each of their tankards.

She would have worried for the man’s liver, but he was the only one still upright following the events less than an hour later. She was genuinely curious about his metabolism and wondered if Law could perhaps get her a sample of Roronoa’s liver without him knowing.

The Strawhat’s cook approached her with hearts in his eyes while she sat next to Chopper as they sorted through their collections.

“Mademoiselle! My name is Sanji. I apologize for not having introduced myself to such a lovely lady sooner. You deserve all of the pleasures of the world for dealing with such pig-headed men in such tight quarters! May I be blessed enough to learn the name of the angel before me?” 

She stared, entirely unprepared for the sincerity and passion of his words. Ikkaku had forewarned her of the blonde who was gentlemanly and doting to a fault, but reality far outweighed expectations in this instance.

“Oi, Cook. Back off. She’s so repulsed by you that she can’t even speak,” Roronoa called from across the fire.

“Shut up, mosshead!” the cook snapped back. He turned back to her. “I also apologize for my own pig-headed crewmate. He has no manners to speak of.”

As if to accentuate the blonde’s point, the swordsman chugged the rest of his sake bottle.

“Ah, it’s fine, Sanji-san. It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Alex.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Alex-swan,” Sanji crooned. “Please, may I offer you a drink and pastry to tide you over until the feast this evening?”

Alex realized belatedly that he had been carrying a tray with a fruity drink in a tall glass and assortment of pastries on a dish. “Oh, um. Thank you, but I don’t exactly drink. And I can’t have a lot of baked goods,” she replied self-consciously. “I mean, I can’t have wheat. I’m…”

“...allergic,” Sanji interrupted kindly. “Yes, Law-san made sure to tell me. The puff pastries are entirely rye-based, and for the drink, a strawberry-rhubarb spritz mocktail.” He held up the items with a flourish. 

Alex couldn’t help but take and try them now. The airiness of the pastry paired wonderfully with the fizz of the spritz, and she made sure to give the chef his due compliments. He twirled away on cloud-nine. She stared on. Even for the Grand Line, she felt the Strawhat crew was especially bizarre.

Her chest warmed thinking of her Captain and that he had bothered to tell the other crew’s cook of her allergies and preferences. She could fully enjoy the moment without worry.

By the time evening came around, almost everyone was intoxicated to some level as dinner was served on tables hauled out from the Thousand Sunny. She had learned the ship’s name from Chopper during their island exploration.

The spread of food was a true feast, fit for thirty-two hungry pirates. Alex’s plate was stacked with dumplings and rice cooked to perfection with perfectly sliced pieces of seared tuna on top. She ate until she could hardly move, then stared in horror as Strawhat continued to devour plate after plate. 

Feeling like she’d get sick if she continued watching him, she ambled off towards a quieter corner of the beach.

The bonfire was still going strong and the light played off the waves lapping lazily at the shore. She kicked her boots off and stuck her feet into the sand, which was still warm despite the sun having set an hour ago. She closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of the ocean and joyous chatter. She focused her attention, picking out her own crew from the Strawhats, admiring the intermingling of unique colors and textures.

Monkey D. Luffy’s bright yellow aura was as radiant as the sun and was almost painful to look at for too long. Law’s amber color glowed in parallel from next to him. In fact, Alex noticed that Strawhat seemed to brighten anyone he interacted with. It was easy to track him through the group. She only needed to follow the trail of light.

He really was an interesting person, even if he was a hurricane in human form. And nothing like his reputation, as she expected.

After a few minutes, a large presence joined her. She would recognize the soft blue color in her sleep by now. She opened her eyes to get him. “Hey, senpai.”

Bepo laid beside her without a word, face up towards the stars and eyes closed. She hummed sympathetically and reached around to rub behind the mink’s ears. He was asleep in minutes, the day’s adventure and enthusiasm of the Strawhats too much for the poor bear any longer. She continued petting his soft fur even as their Captain finally broke away from the excitement to join them.

To her surprise, Law came around to the side closest to her. Alex was next to Bepo's head while Law leaned back into mink's side, Kikoku resting into the crook of his arm.

"I give you permission to shoot anyone who comes over here to wake me up," he said, nodding to the rifle strapped across her back.

She had decided she particularly liked the one she had pilfered from the Marines on the last island. It was a comforting and familiar weight in her hands.

Alex realized Law was still watching her, waiting for an answer. She resisted the urge to grin. "Aye Captain. I'll make sure no one disturbs your beauty sleep."

She earned a jab from Kikoku's scabbard for the joke, but it was worth seeing her Captain's small smile. He pulled his hat over his face. Then to her astonishment, he actually fell asleep.

Her fingers were still running through Bepo's fur. 

She wondered idly what Law's hair would feel like, then realized it wouldn't be worth losing a hand over. Even though she could see the dark tufts sticking out from underneath his hat, taunting her to smooth them out.

Her mind soon became preoccupied by Strawhat's boisterous laughter. He was once again bouncing from one spot to another by the fire, mostly demanding more food from his cook. She was afraid she would have to resort to shooting their allies' Captain if he got a mind to come over. Her own crew took one look at their sleeping Captain and navigator with Alex effectively acting as guard and turned the other direction.

Thankfully, she didn't have to shoot anyone, and after a couple hours sitting watch, Law stirred. The moon was high in the sky and the party was still in full swing, save the few unlucky ones passed out from too much food or booze.

Law sat up, sleep clouding his eyes as he focused on his surroundings. His hat had fallen into his lap. He looked as disarrayed as the time he had been laid up in bed sick.

He turned towards her and seemed genuinely surprised to see her. Like he had forgotten she was there or hasn't expected her to stay.

Instead of dwelling on which option was more likely or how either made her feel, she dove headfirst into a completely different conversation. "Chopper-san and I found a rare species of lichen on the island. It has a strong antibiotic compound when distilled out. With how'd much we collected, I'll have more than enough for us. I was thinking of giving the Strawhats some since they're our allies and Chopper helped me collect so much."

It took her Captain little time to adjust, used to her random inquiries and jumps in logic or conversation. He rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"You have my permission to share whatever you find so long as it doesn't jeopardize our supplies or the crew's safety," he told her.

Alex nodded. "Of course, Captain."

Bepo started grumbling beside them, slowly turning until he was face down in the sand. The mink's movement also shoved Law off his side, leaving the man very disgruntled. She stifled a laugh.

"I think I'm going to go retire to an actual bed." She stood and dusted off her clothes. "See you in the morning. G'night, Captain."

"Hn. Goodnight,” he replied.

She bid her crew and the Strawhats farewell for the evening as she passed her fire on her way to the submarine. 

Dunlee was on watch, eyes scouring the horizon for any sign of approaching ships. He failed at hiding a scowl at the sight of her, but he didn’t say anything. Shachi had told her the blonde still held a grudge against her over his ‘demotion’ from the med bay. She resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him.

She went below deck to the women’s quarters. Deciding that it would be a perfect opportunity to take a shower and squeeze in a couple seconds past the allotted five minute cap, Alex grabbed her toiletries and made her way to the washrooms.

The water felt glorious against her skin, which was raw from clambering over rocks and sand all day. She only ended up staying a minute over, but the extra time conditioning left her hair grateful. Even small luxuries were precious on the sea.

She toweled off and slipped on an oversized shirt. It was likely from one from the men’s wash that had slipped into her basket. The Heart Pirates’ jolly roger on proud display across the front, an obnoxious puke green color--per Ikkaku--that Alex had absolutely loved, so she’d kept it.

Once back in her room, she plopped face first into the bed. Then proceeded to toss and turn for close to two hours before deciding that sleep was futile. She had clearly gotten too much sleep the night before and her mind was racing on anything other than getting rest.

Alex hauled herself back out of her cot. She rejected the idea of putting her boiler suit back on her sensitized skin, so she grabbed her flannel from atop her footlocker. When tied around the waist, it gave the sleep shirt a dress-like appearance. She decided the look would have to do, then she slid her boots on. She had learned early on that one didn’t walk barefoot in a submarine.

Her first instinct was to go to the med bay, but the lights were out and her Captain’s reliable presence was absent. She felt stupid for forgetting about everyone celebrating on the beach.

By the time she made it to the deck, she was greeted by a smoldering fire and bodies in various states of sleep or intoxication. It was surprisingly quiet. There was also no sign of Dunlee, which made her frown. He was meant to be on watch until at least dawn, though Alex supposed that one of the Strawhats had taken over watch from their ship.

She glanced over to the deck of the Thousand Sunny. There was a flicker of light as a figure moved about one of the rooms on their main level. She was fairly certain it was the kitchen based on the amount of food their cook had hauled through the door before dinner.

Alex’s curiosity got the better of her.

Her crew had been welcomed onto the ship earlier in the day, so she walked over to the railing where a gangplank had been fashioned to connect the two anchored ships. She deftly crossed the gap and made her way quietly to the Strawhats’ galley.

The door was propped open and the sole occupant was Blackleg Sanji. He was quietly washing dishes, more still than she had seen him all day. Wisps of smoke from his cigarette rose around him as he set dishes from the sink into a drying rack. 

Alex found herself hovering with uncertainty in the doorway, not feeling particularly keen on being the sole focus on the blonde. Sanji wasn’t as perverse as his skeleton crewmate--who had asked to see both her and Ikkaku’s panties and received a wrench to the eye socket for his efforts--but the cook was certainly overbearing.

Before she could turn away, however, there was a gentle shove from behind her, eliciting a surprised squeak. She glanced behind her, not having felt anyone’s presence. She only caught a flutter of petals.

Sanji had clearly heard her entrance and looked up from the sink, but he didn’t immediately jump to sing her praises or offer the world on a platter. "Ah, Alex-swan. What is a beautiful lady doing awake at this time of night? Is there something I can help you with?"

His earlier exuberance was tempered. It was like he could sense her reserve towards his company. He dried his hands on a dish towel hanging over his shoulder then snuffed out his cigarette into an ashtray.

She shuffled from one foot to the other. Realizing he probably deserved an actual answer--he was a little theatrical but came across as genuinely kind--she shrugged her shoulders. “Couldn’t sleep,” she replied.

“My dear Alex-swan, would you like for me to make you something warm to eat or drink? It may help relax you.” Alex found this laid-back (though still overly chivalrous) version of the man surprisingly comforting.

“Can you make hot chocolate?” she asked.

“Of course, Mademoiselle,” he replied, offering a wide gesture for her to have a seat. 

He had clearly expected her to sit on the couch, likely due to her hesitance upon entering in the first place. His face showed mild surprise when she moved closer and sat at the bar, but she felt more at ease there. There was a sense of contentment and familiarity watching Sanji glide through his kitchen. She was used to hours spent with Yachi, and it helped that the blonde’s more fickle displays of admiration were absent.

The Strawhats’ cook didn’t rush his process just because she was watching. He didn’t waste any movements either. Alex could tell that he genuinely loved what he did. He took pride in the process of making flavorful dishes and providing nourishment for his crew. Or in this case, late night drinks for their allies.

Sanji set a mug and a chocolate coated stirring spoon down in front of her for inspection. Three perfectly sized marshmallows with chocolate drizzle sat on top. It looked more like a work of art than something to be consumed.

Alex hummed in consideration and took a tentative sip. Her hum quickly became one of appreciation. 

“Thank you, Sanji-san. It’s delicious.” She took another larger sip then stirred her spoon to melt the extra chocolate.

“I’m glad you like it, Alex-swan,” Sanji trilled, hearts in his eyes. He went back to doing dishes, and she sat across from him with her hot chocolate.

They sat in silence, but it wasn't as uncomfortable as Alex feared. She took her time enjoying the last dregs of chocolate of her cup, perfect to the last drop. By the time she finished, Sanji was done at the sink. He drifted from the fridge to the counter, taking fresh ingredients to wash, dice, and set in a large baking pan.

“Is that for breakfast?” she asked curiously. She stood from the bar and walked around to the sink. At a closer glance, there were layers of leafy greens, meat, and cheese in the dish.

“Yes. It’s a corned beef and spinach strata. I’m going to make a couple of dishes tonight that can just be tossed in the oven over a couple hours in the morning. Experience shows that everyone will wake at different times, so I like to have something fresh coming out of the oven every hour or so.”

Alex knew the surprise showed on her face, but the cook was still occupied with prepping and didn’t look up. “With our crew, you’re feeding more than twice the number you’re used to. That’s a lot of food. Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“This really isn’t any more than I’d have to fix for just our crew. Luffy eats enough for twenty,” the cook laughed.

Alex knew he wasn’t joking. “Regardless, thank you for your consideration. I hope your crew appreciates your hard work, Sanji-san.”

“All I need is the appreciation of a lovely lady such as yourself, Alex-swan,” Sanji replied, puffing in pride. He glanced her way to find her setting the empty mug in the sink and reaching for the sponge. “Here, let me take that.”

“No, that’s fine. You finish up, I can clean these,” she offered and waved him off, or at least attempted to. 

Sanji made a firm noise of protest and tried to reach for the dishes without physically manhandling her for them. “No, please allow me!”

Despite their height difference, Alex stood tall and cut him with a look. “Sanji-san, do my hands look broken?” she asked.

“What?” he sputtered, clearly thrown by her inquiry. “I mean, no, of course not.”

“Are our crews allied?”

“Yes, but I don’t…”

“Ally implies equal. Correct?”

“Yes,” he replied, looking like he knew where her line of questioning was leading and that he wasn’t happy about it. He had stopped trying to get around her for the dishes, though.

“Then if my hands aren’t broken and we’re equals, rules say that the least I can do for a delicious cup of hot chocolate is wash the mug and spoon,” she challenged him, brow arching.

Surprisingly, he dipped his head and chuckled. It was the most human and modest reaction she had heard from the man yet.

“How can I refuse a lady’s logic?” he acknowledged, stepping back with his hands raised in mock defeat. His tone was as friendly as it was reverent. The Strawhat cook was a very peculiar man.

“You can’t,” she quipped with a sharp smile. “We’re always right.”

“Has your Captain figured that out yet?” he asked flippantly, turning back to his meal prep.

Alex scoffed, dunking the mug into soapy water and scrubbing the inside with the sponge. “I’m not stupid enough to answer that question. I value my life.”

There was a charged pause before he spoke. “Are you afraid of Law?” His tone was weighted. He sounded like he’d fight the Surgeon of Death if she even implied the man had ever done anything to make her fearful.

She turned to give him an incredulous look at the implication. Okay,  _ fuck that _ . She wasn’t about to let his pretentious chivalry run away with the conversation so he could play knight in shining armor.

“I’m afraid,” she started, setting the mug down in the drying tray so she didn’t crack it, “that if you’re suggesting my Captain would ever harm those under his direction, that I’d have to explain to him why we’re at war with our allies because I shot their cook in the ass.” 

She snapped her jaw shut, knowing she had let her words run away from her. There would likely be repercussions this time but she wouldn’t care. She could feel the burning rage at the thought of their supposed ally thinking so little of her Captain.

Sanji was giving her a weighted look now. She was ready to sock him in the jaw, when he finally said, “You’re right. I shouldn’t have implied anything of the sort. We’ve known the Heart Pirates for years, and your Captain has only ever been honorable. I apologize.”

She physically recoiled and glanced away, feeling slightly ashamed. Indeed, the Strawhats had known Law far longer. 

Truthfully, she knew she shouldn’t let her emotions get away from her, but her protectiveness of her crew and Captain kept her focused on the here and now. They were genuinely good people,  _ her _ people, and apparently she was willing to go toe-to-toe with one of the Monster Trio of the Strawhats to fight for them.

Rather than waiting on her response, he mimicked her earlier compliment. “I hope your crew appreciates your dedication, Alex-swan. Law is lucky to have recruited you.”

“Captain didn’t recruit me,” she admitted, flushing. “I kinda’ demanded he let me join as we were running from the Marines. After he rescued me from a deserted island filled with giant bugs.”

Sanji blinked then returned to his dish. “Tell me the story?” he asked over his shoulder. “Though you can leave out any parts about bugs. I can’t stand bugs.”

Alex felt the pressure on her chest ease at the proffered peace treaty. She walked back around to the other side of the bar and slid onto the stool. 

“Me neither.”

With the gentle  _ shlink-shlink _ of a knife against the chopping block in the background, Alex told Sanji the story of how she became a Heart Pirate.


	15. Of Freckles and Tempests

The Heart Pirates were to part ways with the Strawhat Pirates that following afternoon, much to the displeasure of Strawhat Luffy. Alex could see why her crewmates both eagerly anticipated and dreaded their interactions with their allies. For ten members strong, the Strawhats were a force to be reckoned with.

She and Chopper sat together for breakfast at one of the tables left on the beach and quickly got pulled into conversation about the different medicinal properties of lichens and mosses. Eventually the topic delved into more strict medical procedures Chopper was hoping to improve on to become the best doctor in the world. The young reindeer’s eyes kept looking timidly towards Law who was sitting at the other end of the table, eating a bowl of strata with sleep in his eyes. 

Her Captain seemed completely oblivious to his surroundings and the little doctor’s admiration. There was a lack of coffee by his bowl, but that wasn’t surprising considering one of the crew normally force fed him his first cup or two of a morning.

Alex glanced slyly to the thermos of coffee in her lap. She had stayed up a couple hours talking with Sanji, who made for surprisingly pleasant late night company. By early morning, however, he was back to his exuberant self and she needed a break. She had entered the Sunny’s galley to find Sanji fawning over Robin and Ikkaku. Robin was smiling calmly while Ikkaku sat with a prominent vein pulsing above her eye.

When he turned to her with as much gusto as the day before, she spun around and went back to the Polar Tang. She had needed a strong fix of caffeine to deal with anyone after too few hours of sleep.

It was looking like a promising bribe now, a favor for her new little friend.

“Hey, Captain. Wanna come here? I’ve got some coffee,” she offered.

He stared blankly at her. She wasn’t sure if he hadn’t heard her or if he was weighing the pros and cons of getting up to get coffee. He was only five feet away.

Time to up the stakes.

“I made it myself. Fresh pressed this morning,” she goaded, holding the coffee up.

Law blinked this time, gaze fixated on the drink. Finally, he stood and took two large strides to sit next to her and across from Chopper. Alex handed him the thermos, thankful that he was still too out of it to have realized he could have Shambled it out of her hands at any moment.

The Strawhat’s doctor was squirming in his seat. Alex had to smother a laugh. She waited until Law had drunk at least half the thermos before ambushing him.

“Hey Captain, Chopper had a question about the effects of organ transplant on the nerve supply. I know a bit about physiology, but I’m afraid that my knowledge is fairly limited in surgery. Do you think you’d be able to explain better?” 

She was clearly baiting him and the side glance from her Captain said he was fully aware of what she was doing. He didn’t call her out, though.

“Have you ever observed such an operation, Tony-ya?” he asked, looking at the reindeer.

Alex took that as her cue to leave before she became Law’s live demonstration. “I’m gonna’ go see if the guys need help prepping the sub.”

She stood and hurried away, though Law’s Room could probably have reached across half the island if he really didn’t want her getting away.

There really wasn’t anything for her to do on the Polar Tang. Shachi and Penguin, who had been the last to rise following their unequivocal defeat by Roronoa, were hauling their things from the beach below deck. Their choppy movements and downward gaze told her they were undeniably hungover.

She grinned. “Hey guys! Do you need a hand?” she called, much louder than was needed from only half a deck away.

Both men jerked like they’d been shot, groaning at the sound and the quick movements. To be quite frank, they looked like death warmed over.

“Alex-chan. The sun is already loud enough. You don’t have to shout, too,” Shachi grouched. Even with his sunglasses and hat, she could tell he was squinting at her.

“Can’t you make us some hangover cure?” Penguin asked pitifully.

She hummed in consideration before shaking her head. “Hm, nope. You two need to learn to not pick fights that you can’t win. Or at least don’t involve your livers in the battle.”

Shachi actually flipped her off, while Penguin hung his head dejectedly. She decided to play nice and leave them to their misery, even if their own stupidity had gotten them there in the first place. They were only so much fun to pick on when they were legitimately sick.

Alex ambled across the gang plank again to the Sunny’s deck, only to be immediately bombarded by Monkey D. Luffy, the Strawhat Captain himself.

He had slung himself from the figurehead of their ship to land right in front of her, clutching his hat to his head and grinning ear to ear. His presence felt like a whirlwind and he seemed to have no conception of personal space, but Alex stood her ground.

“Hello, Strawhat-san.” Her tone aimed for polite.

His dark eyes watched her, smile never leaving his face. She felt his eyes roam over her face then pierce deeper like he was looking into her soul. Finally, he started laughing like he found something funny. “Shishishi. You have so many freckles! Just like my brother Ace. You can call me Luffy! I’m gonna’ be King of the Pirates!”

Alex knew of the name. She didn’t fully understand the weight of the connection between Gol D. ‘Fire Fist’ Ace and the Strawhat Captain, but she remembered seeing the newscoo years ago delivering papers with their names and faces.

“Thank you. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Luffy-san. My name is Belrose Alex.” She returned his smile. “I’m afraid you’ve got steep competition, though. Don’t think that the Heart Pirates aren’t going to put our Captain on the throne first.”

Luffy threw his head back and laughed deep. It wasn’t mocking or scornful, rather a genuine laugh that spoke of happiness and thrill. “Toroa sure has an awesome crew!” 

With that, he turned on his heel and was bouncing off to another corner of the ship. His coming and going left Alex feeling a little out of sorts.

Hours later, as the sun was high in the sky and both the Polar Tang and the Thousand Sunny were casting off from the small rocky island, Alex and those of her crew still on the deck turned to look

“Hey Toroa!” Her Captain turned to face the younger Captain who was sitting once again atop the lion’s head. “Freckles was right. We’re still allies, but it’s still a competition to see who’s gonna’ be the Pirate King! I’ve got the best crew, so it’ll definitely be me!”

It took a moment to realize that Luffy was calling _her_ ‘Freckles’, and Alex fought the urge to correct him. If he wouldn’t even say Law’s name appropriately, then the matter was hopeless.

Law smirked, and it was the look that usually spelled trouble for his enemies. Alex wasn’t sure what it meant if it was directed at their allies. “We’ll see about that Strawhat-ya.”

With that, the two ships departed. The Heart Pirates filed into the sub and closed the door to the deck. With the signal from their Captain, the Polar Tang and her crew dropped beneath the waves and into the familiar depths of the sea.

* * *

Several hours had passed since they had left the Strawhat Pirates, and Law could still feel the pulse of a headache behind his eyes. It was the same one he always had after prolonged exposure to Strawhat-ya.

He was on his way to his office where he kept a heavy dose of pain reliever, but he stopped short at the med bay door.

Alex was frowning heavily, tearing her desk apart. He was tempted to continue to his office and let her be, until she let out a closed mouthed scream of frustration. He paused, mildly surprised at the show from his normally collected apothecary. If he didn’t interfere, she very well may destroy the infirmary.

“What are you doing?” he asked, hoping he wouldn’t regret the inquiry. His headache gave another throb in mockery.

She flopped into her chair. “I’m looking for my condenser! I need to get started on distilling out the antibiotic compound from the lichen. But it’s not with the rest of my equipment, and I’ve already searched the kitchen and my bunk. Twice.”

“Didn’t you have it earlier with Tony-ya?” He could recall her bringing a duffel filled with half her pharmaceutical equipment to the Strawhats’ ship and putting the pieces together for display for Tony-ya.

His apothecary had clearly formed a strong attachment to the little reindeer. She had spent most of their time with the Strawhats’ doctor, teaching him about different methods of medication preparation and asking him questions in regards to the differences in treating animals and humans.

“Yeah, I was showing Chopper how to set up a distilling system for oils and alcohols. I was sure I brought it back in here, though. I was going to use it for the antibiotic.”

“Perhaps you forgot it on the Strawhats’ ship,” he suggested.

She sagged into her chair like she had already thought of that and wasn’t happy about it. “I probably did. I’ve turned the sub over. We don’t have anything else to substitute to make an effective condenser.”

The Strawhats would already be too far to meet back up without a lot of hassle. Then Strawhat-ya would likely get the idea to go on another adventure, and Law would likely get caught up in another booby-trapped temple. His temple pulsed in warning at the thought.

“Can the materials be stored long enough until the next island?” he inquired.

She furrowed her brow in thought and tugged at her hair. Several strands were escaping her braid. “It depends on how long we’ll be at sea. We run the risk of losing potency after a day or two. I can’t replicate the environment the lichen grows in to keep the chemical I need from breaking down.”

Law considered the effort that his apothecary had made to gather the plant materials and knew that if she said it was an invaluable antibiotic, it would save them a fortune in restocking. There was a pause as he weighed their options.

“The route we’re on right now is estimated to take two weeks. I’ll talk with Bepo. We can likely change courses for one of the other needles on the Log Pose. They’re magnetic fields may not be as stable but hopefully one is closer.”

He could see the conflict in her face. She needed the piece of equipment to make the medicine but didn’t want to cause trouble.

He resisted the urge to sigh. “I’ve heard rumors of an information broker east of us to where one of the needles is pointing. It won’t be that great a detour to our original plan.”

She blinked up at him with those wide blue eyes. “Information broker? Are you looking for something, Captain?” she asked, seeming to forget for the moment about the lost condenser. He forgot sometimes how perceptive this woman could be.

“When is information not needed in the New World?” he replied evasively.

Law still hadn’t told any of the crew about his suspicions. He was fairly certain bounty hunters were the ones trying to track them down, but there was no need to take action until he had something more concrete.

Alex watched him closely. Aside from Bepo, who had technically been on the crew the longest and who Law considered to be his closest friend, Law realized that this petite woman had come to know him better than anyone else.

Feeling the sudden urge to get away from her prying eyes, he turned and started for the door. “Stay here and keep looking for the piece. I’ll go tell Bepo to change our course.”

“Aye, Captain,” she replied, but Law was already out the med bay and hardly heard her.

He found Bepo on the observation deck. He decided to cut to the chase. "Alex needs a piece of equipment to process antibiotics. Ideally as soon as possible. How long would it take to get to the closest island?"

Bepo looked at him with his all too knowing dark eyes. "By tomorrow morning if the third needle is pointing to where I think it is. It's super shaky, but I think it's because there's a cyclone that just swept through that area yesterday. Or at least, that's what Nami said."

Law had to begrudgingly admit that Strawhat's navigator was one of a kind and was never wrong about the weather, even in the New World.

"Is it safe enough for us to travel?" he asked.

"It should be. Sorry," the bear said, apologetic for not having a more decisive answer.

That would have to do. "Change course. I'll let the crew know to be alert for trouble. We'll be safe at this depth from any storms, but I don't want a stray current to catch us by surprise."

He stopped by the bridge to tell Jean Bart of the change, who didn’t even bat an eye at the order. The sub tilted a few degrees, the only indication that they were turning, before righting on their new path.

Next, he went to the mess hall to get more coffee, hoping that the caffeine would help the pounding in his head. Yachi handed him a mug of something from the pot then went back to his kitchen tasks. Law resisted the urge to look longingly to where he knew the coffee press was stashed. The stuff from the pot was okay, but it had been simmering all morning and was more sludge than liquid by now. Regardless, he drank it.

“I take it the lass is in a foul mood?” the cook asked from across the counter. He was tossing a bunch of ingredients into an oversized soup pot, stirring occasionally with a large wooden spoon. “She tore in an’ out o’ ‘ere like a sea king.”

Law pictured the sea kings he had encountered, usually straightforward in their tempers and ruthless to those who angered them. The image didn’t quite relate. Instead, he thought about the quiet and steely fury he had seen in the woman on multiple occasions. The one he could see behind bright eyes that simmered and built before finally exploding and petering out just as quickly.

“Hn. More like a tempest if you ask me,” Law retorted before he could keep his mouth from running away.

Yachi glanced up from the stove with the look of an older man who had already lived a long life at sea. “Aye Cap’n. A force o’ nature that one,” he agreed with a laugh.

Law scowled and absolutely did not flush in embarrassment for having said that out loud. The cook was never going to let his Captain hear the end of that slip. While Yachi would never step out in front of the crew, he would absolutely give the younger man hell when they were alone like this. 

Yachi wasn’t so much a fatherly figure--Law had already had and lost enough of those in his life--as he was a meddlesome uncle. He liked to give Law advice at the most inopportune moments, or do worst like reminding him of every stupid thing he has said and done.

Law downed the rest of his too-dark black coffee to shock his system back into regular function. “I’m going back to my office.”

The cook hummed in agreement. “Be careful on the way, Cap’n. I hear there’s a typhoon billowin’ about the sub.” He didn’t even bother hiding his laughter, even after Law Shambled him into the freezer.

* * *

The Polar Tang arrived at its destination by the next afternoon.

Judging by the debris scattered on the beach and in the streets, a storm had indeed blown over recently. The main port town was one of the most rundown Alex had seen during her time on the sea. Even from the docks, dilapidated buildings and infrastructure could be seen far inland. Some of the damage looked both new and old, however, marking this as one of those neglected islands of the New World, forgotten by the World Government.

There was a definitive lack of Marines on the island, and the locals were too preoccupied trying to pick up the pieces of their lives to even register the pirates' presence.

Her brow furrowed. She was honestly unsure if the town would even have the part she was looking for, but the crew was making the side trip just because she had misplaced her equipment. She kept her mouth shut.

Once they were anchored and the gangway in place, those going ashore made their way to the dock. Bepo was getting to join because there was no significant need for discretion. The dock workers didn’t even react to the polar bear walking amongst them. Alex followed the mink with Shachi and Penguin in tow, and their Captain was the last to disembark.

“Penguin, go with Alex to find the equipment she needs. This island supposedly has a hidden weapons black market. See if you can find anything useful.” Alex nodded while Penguin saluted. Their Captain turned to the other two. “Shachi, Bepo. Stay here in the marina. Talk with the dock workers without drawing too much attention, get information on the area.”

Alex didn’t point out how a talking polar bear would naturally draw attention.

The five split up for their respective tasks. No one asked Law where he was going. He was the Captain, and he could keep secrets if he wanted.

They had to visit three different shops, but Alex finally found a place that could make a condenser. The difficult part of making one was that it was a coiled tube of glass inside another glass cylinder with inflow and outflow spouts that allowed water to cool the heated gas inside the coil and turn it to liquid. The process required fine craftsmanship and was not cheap.

A couple hours later, the two Heart Pirates left with a condenser cushioned and tucked into Alex’s pack and a considerable chunk of her beli gone. It was an essential piece of equipment, though, and a valuable lesson about being more careful of where she placed her things.

Penguin had stayed fairly silent during the process, letting Alex heckle with the shop owners. He took lead as they ambled through the back streets in search of anything worthwhile. While she found his quiet demeanor comforting, having spent months at sea to get used to her crewmates’ oddities, the vendors found the way he watched them from under the brim of his hat with a stony face as they rambled to be unsettling.

He cracked a smile after they left the shop of a weaselly looking man who had confirmed that the westside of town was the best place to purchase difficult to acquire merchandise. The shopkeep had looked ready to wet himself when the two Heart Pirates walked in, and that was even before they had asked about the best place to buy weaponry.

Alex pulled her satchel closer to her hip as a group of children ran by, mindful of pickpockets and how nimble little fingers could be. It didn’t matter that she or Penguin were pirates. They were new faces and deemed easy prey if they let their guard down.

Her crewmate’s hands were in his pockets and despite the appearance of nonchalance, she knew Penguin was paying close attention to their surroundings. She also knew he had at least one extended barrel revolver strapped just inside his boiler suit and another smaller pistol in his right pocket.

Alex had her own rifle strapped across her back. While her weapon wasn’t as effective at close range, she felt confident in her observation haki to avoid most attacks while Penguin fought with his handguns until she could get to a suitable distance to maneuver her own firearm. Neither excelled at direct close combat attacking, however.

Which ended up being their downfall.

All at once, Alex felt the hair on her arm stand up. She ducked just in time to avoid a brass-knuckled punch to the head. She yelped and tumbled away, quickly righting herself to find Penguin. There were four men between her and her crewmate, having come seemingly from nowhere.

They looked fairly rugged, mostly likely pirates or privateers. They definitely weren’t Marines.

She extended her senses out, looking for where they came from and if there were more. Determination pushed past her normal boundaries and extended her sixth sense to several blocks out. She blanched when she felt at least twenty hostile auras with her haki.

One of the shapes disappeared from the edge of her senses to only appear on her left. She let instincts guide her as she dropped low and kicked her leg out to catch her attacker by the ankle. Her strike made contact but lacked enough force to knock him off balance.

“They’re teleporting!” she shouted to Penguin, who was now fighting off five assailants to her two.

Alex cried out in surprise as another man blinked into existence behind her. He managed to get his arms around her frame and hauled her in the air, squeezing so hard she was sure her ribs were breaking. She fought against his hold, feeling her head swim and desperate to take a deep breath.

 _BANG!_ A shot rang out, and the man holding Alex went down. She almost went down with him but landed on her feet, suddenly grateful to all the unceremonious drops from Law’s Shambles.

Penguin’s small pistol was smoking. He was attempting to reach for his second firearm, but his attackers kept grappling for his arms and shoulders. None had drawn any weapons other than blunt force.

 _They want us alive,_ Alex suddenly realized. The Heart Pirates were outnumbered and easy targets but none of the men went for kill shots.

They also made the mistake of marking Penguin as the greater threat after his successful shot, surrounding him while she faced off with one bulky man. It was the same dude she had kicked--oops. He came at her with fists swinging.

Her training with Bepo kicked in as the brawler swung, his movements slow as molasses compared to the fighting prowess of a mink. She tucked and weaved around his movements, waiting until just the right moment when his fury at her evasion left him open, then she shoved him flat on his face.

She spun around, yanking her gun off her back, eyes looking desperately for her crewmate. He was having a hard time fighting off so many attackers, having already spent his bullets and unable to reload. They had him surrounded.

Penguin lifted his head enough so his dark gaze met hers. His eyes were screaming at her to run, his lips sealed to avoid drawing attention to her.

 _Like hell_ , she thought bitterly. _Like hell I’m leaving you alone._ She gripped her rifle tight and let the cool burn of anger center her as she took aim. 

Four quick _BANGS_ echoed down the street, and none of her shots were to their assailants’ hands.

The four men closest to Penguin fell before the rifle was wrenched from her hands. Pain exploded across her temple as someone struck her with the butt of her own gun. Stars danced before her eyes and her limbs stopped responding as she was slung over someone’s shoulder. The sounds of the fight had become distant and muddled. The world spun, and she felt like she was going to throw up.

The last thing she registered before oblivion took over was Penguin shouting her name.


	16. Of Closets and Splints

The sun was dipping low on the far side of the island, casting long shadows and giving the town a strong decrepit appearance. Having walked around and interacted with the locals, Law felt the people weren't in much better condition. 

The island had stopped being able to pay the Heavenly Tribute more than a decade ago. As a result, it had become a lawless zone, and the residents found themselves a frequent target of pillaging until anything of value had been taken. Now, they were jaded and tired, open to business no matter who was buying.

Law frowned as the sky grew dark and he could make out the first stars. He felt his irritation grow, knowing he had told Penguin and Alex to be back by now. He hated when people didn't stick with the plan.

Bepo stepped forward, scratching nervously at his ear. "Do you think they're okay, Captain? What if they're in trouble?"

"Between the two of them, how much trouble can they get into?" He regretted the words as soon as they left his lips. "Forget I said that. With Alex's track record, they probably found a Marine Captain to piss off."

Unfortunately, his newest crew member did seem to have a knack for finding Marines. He blamed her upbringing.

Law sighed and resisted the urge to scrub at his face. "Let me do a Scan. My Room should be able to cover most of town."

He pulled Kikoku from its sheath and activated his Devil Fruit. It was easier to look for a single item rather than a whole person, but searching for a rifle or bag would be like looking for a single hay straw in a barn. So he thought of Alex's ridiculous flannel instead and did a cursory glance across the town to help narrow down the search.

The first rush of trepidation pooled in his stomach when he didn't find anything. He Scanned for Penguin's distinctive hat next. Again, nothing.

Bepo was a jittery mess of teeth and fur when Law lowered his sword. He already anticipated his Captain's answer.

"They're not in town." They had no reason not to be. The quiet alarm bells that had been going off in his head were sirens now. "Alert the crew and send out a search party. No one goes off alone. I don't want anyone else disappearing."

"Aye Captain!" The first mate rushed down below deck.

"Shit." Law didn't resist slamming a fist into the mast. The throb in his hand helped to center his focus.

His suspicions had been confirmed in the worst possible way. He cursed himself for not acting sooner, for not telling the crew of what he had heard months ago now, for wanting to wait and have all the pieces before doing anything.

Two search parties ended up going out. Shachi, Ikkaku, Clione, and Uni went west while Law, Bepo, Yachi, and Jean Bart went east. Each team had a baby Den Den Mushi and would alert the other if they found anything.

Bepo's nose kept twitching as he hurried beside Law. He was trying to get a scent of their missing crewmates, but he also kept giving his Captain sideways glances.

"It's not your fault, Captain," the bear tried to comfort, obviously picking up on the scent of guilt.

Law grimaced. He lowered his tone, not wanting Yachi or Jean Bart to overhear them. "There's been someone tracking us. I've been trying to get proof and information on who since Alex joined the crew." _'And I didn't tell anyone'_ went unsaid.

"So this _is_ your fault," his first mate corrected. His tone was neither accusatory nor understanding, only factual. Law was reminded just why the mink was his right hand to begin with. He didn't pull punches--either physical or verbal--when his Captain needed a reality check.

"Yes," he admitted. There was no denying it.

"We'll find them," Bepo assured. Law didn’t doubt they would, he would tear the Grand Line apart for his crew, but hearing the conviction in his navigator’s voice was a balm nonetheless.

_Purururu. Purururu. Purururu._

Law pulled the baby Den Den Mushi from his pocket. Shachi was on the other line.

 _“Bad news, Captain. We found Alex-chan’s bag in an alleyway. No sign of her or Penguin, but there was definitely a fight.”_ There was a pause, and the snail’s face twisted into something perturbed, almost in pain. _“There’s a lot of blood.”_

Fear and rage were competing emotions, threatening to spill over and rip everything around him to shreds. Law had to reign them in. He needed to think logically, Alex and Penguins lives could depend on it. “There’s no sense in taking their bodies if they were killed.” The news was a relief as much as a slap to the face. “They may be injured, but they were likely still alive when they were taken.”

There was a murmur on the other side of the line, several people talking that the snail couldn’t keep up with. The noises were definitely worried and angry in nature.

Shachi finally spoke up. _“What do we do, Captain?”_ His voice was tight.

Law didn’t hesitate in his response. “We tear this island apart until we find someone with answers.”

* * *

Alex roused with only half of her facilities intact, a terrible throbbing behind her eyes, and whatever she ate last threatening to come up. She couldn’t remember what she ate last, though. In fact, she couldn’t remember much of anything. It hurt too much to recall. Instead, she kept her eyes closed and let whichever of her other senses still working do their thing.

The ground was cold against her skin. There was a gentle rocking motion of the sea, which under normal circumstances would have been soothing. Currently, it churned Alex’s stomach worse, and she swallowed a couple times against the sour bite of stomach acid. She could hear the creaking of metal and wood, and a sea bird called somewhere outside wherever she was. 

Her brain was slow to put the pieces together, but eventually she concluded that she was on a ship likely only a few hours out from land judging by the sea bird. They were the cats of the sea and didn’t stray too far from the docks for a quick and free meal.

Slowly, she opened her eyes and winced at even the dim light coming through the small porthole. The sky was an orange-ish purple, without a cloud in sight. She would be able to see stars soon.

_Concentrate._

Alex was in a cell on an unknown ship, and she was absolutely freezing. She let the cold wake her and sharpen her attention.

Her arms and legs were bare. She was still clothed, but her flannel and boiler suit had been stripped and were nowhere to be seen. As her eyes continued to focus, she noticed another lump on the ground, half propped up against the wall and watching her closely. The figure was a man with dark, spiky hair cropped close to his head.

She immediately recognized the dark eyes. “Penguin?”

He nodded. “Yeah, it’s me.”

“They took your hat,” she said sorrowfully. It felt like her emotions were both muted and dialed to an eleven at the same time.

“I don’t think my hat should be what we’re worried about.” His tone was attempting light-hearted, but his words came out more as a hiss through gritted teeth.

Alex frowned, still feeling fuzzy-headed. She still couldn’t muster up enough of a reaction for the clearly _bad_ position they were in. “Yeah, sorry. I think I may have a concussion. I feel like my senses are all scrambled.” 

She noticed then that he was clutching his left leg. He had been stripped down to his undershirt and boxers, and there was a nasty bruise wrapping around the meat of his thigh. It was bright red and purple spanning the width of his hand, and she frowned. “That’s probably broken,” she whispered.

Penguin grunted and absolutely did not attempt to move. “I know.”

Alex fully sat up and took stock of her own injuries once the world stopped spinning. It hurt when she took a deep breath, probably bruised or broken ribs, and she was now certain she had a concussion.

She crawled over to Penguin. She didn’t care how ridiculous she looked because she didn’t trust her head to not tell her up was actually down or for her legs to actually hold her. “Come around here often?” she joked as she sat down next to him, doing her best not to jostle his injuries.

He had a nasty cut above his left eye that had bled a lot but had since clotted and dried. She wondered if that was when he lost his hat.

“I hope your attempts at flirting are better with Captain.”

Her hands froze as they hovered over his head. She took a deep breath, regretted it instantly as the burn on the right side of her chest ravaged her lungs, and she tried to force the air out as lightly as possible. The effort made her thoughts swim. She gently took Penguin’s head in her hands, turning it from side to side to look for any other injuries.

“I’m too concussed to come up with an effective rebuttal, so instead I’m going to openly deflect by asking what you and Shachi get up to in the storage room by the kitchen at three in the morning.” Her words were more a threatening statement than a question, however.

The sound that escaped Penguin was caught between a wheeze and a laugh. Regardless, without his hat or the high collar of the boiler suit, Alex could see the full extent of his crimson blush.

“Touché, I’ll mind my own business,” he finally choked out. “But none of the crew would mind if you did. Flirt with Captain, I mean,” he told her softly. “Just so you know.”

“Even if I did want to pursue something with Captain…” she trailed off, moving down to his leg. “...Law doesn’t strike me as the type to do relationships with someone from the crew. You know him, he’s so…”

“Domineering? Autocratic? Authoritarian?”

She gave a weak laugh. “I was going to say peculiar, but sure. Besides, I don’t want to create any imbalance amongst the crew. You may be okay with it, but I’m sure there are some who wouldn’t like Captain showing any favoritism.” 

Penguin watched her openly, used to having his expressions blocked off from purview. She could tell that he was concerned about their situation but also about her general well-being.

“I don’t think there would be, but even if there were, I’d say fuck them,” he told her frankly. “The crew would just want Captain happy. You make him happy.”

Alex didn’t say anything. This train of thought was making her head hurt, so she just let her mind drift for a while. The sky was dark now, so it had likely been several hours since they’d been taken. Their Captain and crew almost certainly knew they were missing by now. Law was always a stickler for plans and timelines. Their absence wouldn’t go unnoticed.

She sat back as she finished her inspection, letting her left side lay directly against Penguin’s right to fight off the cool air.

Penguin had the laceration above his eye which looked worse than it really was because head wounds were notorious for bleeding, a nasty bruise on his right shoulder blade that had a distinctive fist-shaped appearance to it, and a broken left femur that would definitely keep them from being able to make a run for it. They had nothing to set the fracture, no way of knowing what the extent of the damage to the soft tissue was.

Alex had refused to abandon him once, and she was resolute to stay by his side until their Captain found them. Because Law would absolutely find them.

“Do we know anything about these guys?” she asked finally, keeping her voice quiet.

“Not enough. I was knocked out shortly after you. I woke up maybe...an hour ago?” he hedged his best bet. “I’m pretty sure they’re mercenaries. They’ll be around soon enough to introduce themselves.”

They sat in the dark for a couple of hours, shivering as the temperatures in the cell dipped. Alex was afraid small movements would worsen Penguin’s fracture, and he was beginning to look awfully pale. Her nausea was mostly gone, but most of her thoughts kept drifting through her mind like smoke.

There were steps coming down the stairs leading into the brig, and the noise seemed to echo in her brain. Suddenly, light flooded overhead and Alex bit back a groan as it assaulted her senses. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of hearing her pain.

Her eyes cracked open. A tall, broad-shouldered man stood with hands on his hips, grinning down at the two Heart Pirates like they were the highlight of his week. His posture screamed Captain. He had a chiseled jaw and would have been considered dashing--if kidnappers could be called such. When he talked, his tone was surprisingly smooth and friendly.

“You two sure put up a hell of a fight. I’d be more pissed at having ten of my men offed, but then I guess I should take the blame for having underestimated two of Trafalgar’s.” Alex did the math in her head--Penguin had killed five more of their attackers after she had been knocked out. Damn.

The presumed Captain crouched down, getting to eye level with them. “I’ll be honest, I thought twenty-four to two was overkill. Turns out it was, on our end. I’m damned more impressed than anything.”

His steely eyes cut to Alex, who was leaning forward, trying to gradually put more of herself in front of her crewmate despite his tight grip on her arm. “The boys were stupid to ignore you. Dame carrying around a gun like that, course you’d know how to use it.”

Alex felt chills creep up her spine at how casually the man talked about the death of his crew. She kept quiet.

He frowned at her, then his features smoothed over again. “I’m sure you’re wondering why you’re here. I need information. I don’t care how I get it. From what I’ve heard of your crew, however, you’re a loyal lot. As loyal as pirates can be. Which is why I needed two of you.”

He motioned to another man at the door and in walked her brawler friend. Alex silently cursed her luck.

“I need information on the Surgeon of Death. Weaknesses, routes of travel. I’ve been hired by an anonymous benefactor to obtain this information by any means necessary.” He stood and looked down at the pirates now. “If I took only one of you, I’d never know if the information I received was true. It would also likely be a long, drawn-out process. I wonder, how fast will you talk to save your friend?”

Penguin’s fingers tightened in either assurance or warning, and she was sure she’d bruise. Still, Alex kept quiet, staring the Captain down.

A dangerous spark of anger set across his features. His handsome features pulled down into a predatory look, then a wicked grin swept across his face. He opened the cell door and stepped aside for his companion.

“Her.”

There was a hand on her arm and throat as she was hauled up. Penguin gave out a cry as he was kicked away. Alex squirmed until the man shook her like a ragdoll. She was sure her brain was turning to mush between her ears.

“Alex!” her crewmate shouted, eyes wide and looking ready to get up and fight if it wasn’t for the second goon who had come in and was stepping on his broken leg.

“Penguin. Don’t,” she bit out through gritted teeth, eyes flashing to him in warning. She knew their kidnappers would do just as bad even if they did talk. The distraught look in his eyes said that he knew that too.

So she would be the stronger one. She would take it, whatever they tortured her with. She wasn’t going to let these bastards get anything out of Penguin because of her. She loved her crew too damned much.

Law was coming. The crew was coming.

It became her internal mantra as they shook her around, bruised her arms and her ego. They never delved into worse, but Alex didn’t want to think about if they did.

She blacked out again when they snapped the bones in her wrist.

“I’m sorry,” were the first words that came out of Penguin’s mouth when she came around again. They were whispered, but they still echoed in her brain. She couldn’t keep from flinching. Thankfully, the lights were back off. They were laying in the dark.

Was it possible to get a concussion on top of a concussion? It felt like her skull was splitting open.

“I don’t know. Maybe? Probably,” Penguin replied. She hadn’t realized she had asked the question aloud.

“You’re still thinking out loud,” he commented softly. His brow furrowed from a mixture of pain and anger. “Damnit Alex. Don’t ever do that again. Captain will be more upset if we get killed than if we spilled the crew’s secrets. And we don’t really even _have_ any secrets.”

Alex hummed from deep in her throat. She felt the ache from where Brawler had held her by the throat. “Doesn’t matter. They’d have done it anyways,” she rasped.

Penguin sighed and curled over her more. She suddenly realized her head was resting on his good leg, and he was brushing sweat dampened hair from her face. Her right wrist throbbed.

“How long was I out?” she asked.

“Maybe thirty minutes.” He was looking paler than before.

From the extent of their injuries and the dropping temperatures, either one was at risk for going into shock or becoming hypothermic. They’d been gone maybe six hours. Neither bothered asking if the other thought the crew was coming. It was a given fact. They just had to stay alive until then.

She needed something to keep her mind off the pain ripping her head apart, squeezing around her throat, and pulsing up her right arm.

“How long have you and Shachi been a thing?” She may as well get some good gossip out of this whole ordeal.

Penguin flushed and squirmed in embarrassment. His movement jarred her a little, but she didn’t bother telling him to stop. “Shit woman, I thought you weren’t going to bring that up again.”

“You curse a lot when you’re flustered,” she told him then scowled. “Don’t try to distract me. I’m already trying to distract me. And you. Now hurry up and tell me the deets about you and Carrot Top.”

Penguin snorted and settled back into the wall. “You know he hates it when you and Ikkaku call him that, right?”

“Duh, that’s why we do it,” she replied, then looked at him expectantly.

He gave a put-upon sigh. “I dunno. I mean, we’ve been a... _thing_ ,” he said the word like it tasted weird in his mouth, “since Zou I guess. But I’ve known Shachi almost my whole life. We grew up on the same island, our parents were friends. When they and most of the island died in a tsunami, we were sent to live with Shachi’s aunt and uncle. Fast forward a few years, we joined Captain and Bepo to form the Heart Pirates, sailed in the North Blue. There’s not a lot of time on the sea to find your way smoothly through puberty, so we...ah…”

“Experimented?” she offered, keeping any teasing or judgment from her voice. Alex could tell this was the first time he had ever likely talked about it with someone.

“Yeah,” Penguin replied softly. “I knew I only really liked guys, but Shachi will go for anything with legs but he prefers curves. We stopped fooling around together as much once we reached the New World. Don’t really know why.”

“And then something happened on Zou?”

He nodded. “We almost died. It was kind of the kick in the pants. We don’t really have a name for it or anything, and we’ve not really talked to the crew about it. But it’s just...us.” He shrugged then rolled his right shoulder with a grimace. “I’m sure Captain knows, ‘cause he knows everything. He’s not said anything though, so I don’t think he cares. We just keep it discreet.”

“I’m sure the crew would support you both whole-heartedly. You make each other happy,” she told him, falling back on the same reassurance he had given her. She couldn’t resist a small jab, however. “Though you may want to redefine discreet as not banging in the storage closet next to the kitchen. Maybe try the one next to the engine room. The noise from the turbines would drown it out better.”

Penguin used one of his hands to cover his face, which did nothing to hide the red creeping up his ears or down his neck. It was still slightly jarring to see him without his hat. She hoped their kidnappers hadn’t thrown it or her flannel away.

The door suddenly slammed open and a backlit figure strode in.

Alex rolled to her feet in a crouched position before Penguin could stop her. She threatened to tip over as the room span from the quick movement, but her left hand steadied her. Her right was curled protectively into her chest.

The lights didn’t immediately turn on, and it took her eyes a second to adjust to the stabbing light. She didn’t trust the illusion, however, and probed with her observation haki despite the feeling of nails driving into her brain.

The presence was a familiar one.

“Law.”

Deep honey gold was churning, distinct from and overpowering Kikoku’s blood red aura. It took Alex a moment to note that some of the color wasn’t just metaphysical, though. Her Captain’s hands and Kikoku’s sheath were stained red. It was a jarring site on a man who could cut without shedding blood.

That’s when she registered the unnatural quietness beyond the door. Tentatively and with pain, she pushed her observation haki beyond the room to the rest of the ship. There was only Law on board. It had been a slaughter.

Then she felt another familiar presence come aboard, Bepo with his soft blue glow and she felt herself sag to the floor.

“Captain,” Penguin acknowledged from behind her.

Suddenly, there was Bepo and Shachi in the doorway, pushing their way past Law. Neither said anything about their Captain’s bloodied state. They knew he wasn’t injured. Bepo ripped the cell door from its hinges.

“Those bastards took your hat,” the redhead growled as he came over to crouch next to Penguin.

Alex was pretty sure Penguin would have laughed if Shachi hadn’t looked so genuinely aggrieved on his behalf.

Bepo knelt next to her. “Let’s get you out of here.” He made to scoop her up and she shook her head.

“Help Shachi get Penguin. He’s got a busted leg. Pretty sure broken femur. It’ll need a splint before you can move him.” The mink nodded his head and turned their direction.

She scooted out of the way to allow full access to Penguin, who was protesting adamantly that he could make it to the sub on his own just fine if they wrapped his leg. Bepo had thought ahead and had brought a med kit, so they got started with splinting the fracture. Regardless, he was likely going to be carried by the large bear.

As the adrenaline started crashing and the cell closed in on her, a familiar figure knelt in front of her. Law had vanished the blood from himself and his sword in that magic way of his.

“Hey Captain,” she hummed. She admired the stark contrast of the black ink against his fingers as he pulled a flashlight from his pocket. She couldn’t hold back the whine as he blinded her. “Yes, I have a concussion,” she told him.

He didn’t say anything so she glanced up only to find him frowning at her. Did her words slur a bit? His lips moved but she couldn’t hear anything he was saying.

“Oh.” There was a pounding rush in her ears. Suddenly a strong bout of nausea swept over her, and her only concern was not throwing up on herself or Law. She turned onto her hands and knees then proceeded to hurl into the corner of the cell.

Later, Alex vaguely remembered being picked up and hurried to the Polar Tang. It was more like a stop motion rather than a clear, distinct memory.

Her Captain had been the one who carried her, his sword handed off to Shachi because Bepo was carrying Penguin. 

The deck had been littered with dismembered bodies, one disgustingly handsome face looking up at nothing with permanent surprise. 

The yellow submarine was bobbing gently in the dark water. 

There had been a bright and fiery explosion that had engulfed the mercenaries’ ship once they were off it. 

Law had set her down in one of the infirmary beds before she had started seizing. 

She couldn’t recall anything after that.

* * *

Alex was immediately aware of Law’s presence at her bedside when she woke up. She was also cognizant of the IV in her arm. It had to be giving her some heavy duty pain medication along with fluids because her head was only a dull ache despite the overhead lights of the infirmary and it took her a full minute to notice the brace on her right wrist.

She cursed under her breath. Writing was going to be a pain in the ass.

Her Captain turned, glancing to make sure she was actually awake, before going back to the chart in his hands. She was relieved to actually hear him when he talked. “The mercenaries were kind enough to explain the situation when prompted. Penguin has already filled me in on what happened in the cell. Do you have anything to add?”

Alex shook her head. She looked around and saw Penguin sleeping a few beds down.

“How’s he doing?” she rasped. Her throat felt like one big bruise. The way Law’s eyes tracked below her jawline as she talked told her it probably _was_ one big bruise.

“He’s doing fine. I had to do surgery to reset the leg. He’ll be on crutches for a couple months.” Law nodded to the brace on her wrist. “Hairline fracture. You should be able to take that off in six to eight weeks. You also have three bruised ribs and a severe concussion, but I didn’t need to go in to relieve the pressure. There may be headaches and memory problems for a while, though. I’m taking you off duty for a few weeks so your brain can rest.”

She could tell he was beating himself up over the whole thing. 

“That’s okay,” she assured him. “This is the perfect excuse to make you do all my paperwork,” she teased, but he didn’t respond to her jibe. She frowned. “Really, Captain. It’s okay. I’ll try to take it easy, but I can’t promise that I’m not going to blow a few things up around here when I’m bored out of my mind.”

He smirked then, but it was fleeting. “I owe you and Penguin an apology.”

Alex tilted her head to indicate she was listening.

“I knew that there was someone after the crew--after me. I put you and Penguin and the rest at risk because I was waiting to see if they would make a move. I hadn’t heard anything in weeks, so I got careless. I should have told the crew a lot sooner.”

She watched as he scrubbed a hand over his face, one of his tells that he was stressed and uneasy.

“Yeah, you probably should have,” she agreed, not sparing any tact. “But I forgive you anyways because you were still trying to do the best by the crew. I can’t begrudge you that.”

He looked ready to argue but cut himself off and turned away.

“Captain,” she said softly. He didn’t look at her, so she decided to be daring and reached for his hand. He jerked to attention as her fingers curled around his hand, thin and delicate wrapping over the black circular tattoo. “Law. There’s going to be people after us all the time. _You’re the Surgeon of Death_. I knew that before I even asked to join your crew. We’re pirates. No one on this crew would be here if they couldn’t handle that,” she told him.

She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze before pulling away.

“I’m honestly more upset by the whole thing because I spent a fortune on that condenser and it’s probably in a million pieces back on the island,” she sighed, sinking further into the cot.

Law held up his hand and with a flick, there was a tubular piece of glass on her lap.

“It’s okay!” she popped up and cheered. “Oh! I still have all that lichen to process. It’s only been two days, so it should still be good!”

“What about rest did you not understand?” Law frowned, giving her a heavy stare.

“Oh yeah,” she replied, deflating. She looked at the condenser in her hand, to her desk where the containers of unprocessed lichen sat, finally to Law. She smirked. “Hey Captain, have you ever distilled antibiotics?”

Law gave a very weary sigh but held his hand out nonetheless. “Walk me through it.”


	17. Of Muffins and War

The week following Alex and Penguin’s abduction had been stifling for the two Heart Pirates, to say the least. Any attempts to help with chores or strenuous activity was refused by their crewmates. There was always someone to take their shifts or run their errands when the sub was docked. The one time Alex was allowed to go into town, Bepo had been her constant shadow and carried anything she bought, giving her and her wrist brace a forlorn expression when she tried refusing. Poor Penguin didn’t even have the luxury of leaving the deck.

While Alex knew their mother-henning came from a place of love and concern, she was ready to scream in frustration. It would have only worsened her constant headache, though. 

Penguin had taken to scowling at the rest of the crew as he hobbled down the halls on his crutches, not allowed to put any weight on his leg. His left hip and thigh were immobilized by a brace that wrapped around his waist and ran down to just above his knee. He had intentionally tripped Shachi in the mess hall on more than one occasion when the redhead passed by. His expression would immediately flash falsely apologetic. Alex figured Shachi was refusing any intimate moments while Penguin was healing. She was firm in maintaining a neutral stance in that battle.

Alex had found out from Bepo that the mercenaries had gotten the drop on them because of their captain’s Devil Fruit that allowed him to teleport whatever or whoever he touched to a previously marked location. She and Penguin had walked into an ambush.

After stumbling across the kidnapping scene and confirming what had happened, the crew had turned their attention to the docks. In little time at all, Law had found a dock worker with loose lips regarding a group of mercenaries who had come to port asking questions about the Worst Generation and the Surgeon of Death in particular. The Polar Tang left shortly underwater in the direction the mercenary ship had departed only hours before.

The sub met its target just shy of midnight. It cut through the water quick and silent, the kidnappers completely unaware of their pursuit. The only warning they had received was the subtle shift of pressure and a blue tint that overtook their deck.

The Heart Pirates’ Captain had made quick work of the mercenaries, his Devil Fruit abilities far superior to the other captain’s limited teleportation. It hadn’t been a battle--it had been a massacre.

Alex couldn’t find the energy for sympathy. Her fractured wrist pulsed achingly in agreement in its brace.

Additionally, her flannel and Penguin’s hat had been deemed casualties of their kidnapping. She was bitter about the whole thing. By the end of their next island, however, she had been gifted with two new flannels, and Penguin would never have to worry about misplacing his hat again. He had at least three.

Worse than the wrist or the flannel though was the lingering headache that robbed her attention and left her mind feeling like a wet cotton blanket. Loud sounds and bright lights were especially overwhelming. She often sought sanctuary in the bunkrooms where she could turn off the lights and let the gentle hum of the engines fill the too-loud silence, but her room wasn’t much of a refuge at the moment.

Her male crewmates were having a rambunctious poker match next door, with shouts and thuds that seemed to reverberate through the women's quarters. She could remember the men talking about it at dinner, extending invitations to anyone not on shift.

Alex turned them down with thanks. She knew she had been invited more as a courtesy anyways, certain she looked as ill as she felt at the thought of drinking and games. Penguin had been eager to agree to  _ anything _ that wasn’t sitting in the med bay. He had been forced to sleep on a cot in the infirmary because he normally slept on the top bunk and couldn’t quite manage the ladder with his brace and one working leg.

Listening painfully to their hollers and laughter, Alex could tell Penguin was happy to be back in the men’s quarters and letting loose for the first time in since his injury.

She was glad.

The marksman still tensed if someone moved too quickly in his periphery, but he no longer kept his hand in his pocket where she knew his replacement pistol sat. 

While Alex wasn't easy to startle, she found herself always tired and her temples pulsing because her observation haki was on high alert at all times. It was only here, with a few inches of steel separating her and the crushing depth of the sea, that she could block it all out.

_ Clang! _ Something metallic crashed on the other side of the wall, echoing in the hollow of Alex’s head. She rolled out of bed, giving up on pretenses of getting rest here tonight.

She slipped from her room, snatching one of her new flannels on her way out. This particular one had been gifted to her by Shachi, who had handed it to her with the most serious expression she had seen on the redhead. Then without warning, his face had flushed a bright pink and he looked away while thanking her for keeping Penguin from doing anything stupid. The flannel had been such a gorgeous checkered forest green and black pattern that she couldn't tease him too much.

Alex made her way to the med bay, hoping that she wouldn't immediately be kicked out.

After the incident, Law had been the worst worrywart of the entire crew. He had been serious about his order to rest following her concussion. Once he had helped her with making the new antibiotics, he deemed her medically stable enough to leave the infirmary. Then he had given her explicit instructions not to return to her apothecary duties for at least three weeks. 

Admittedly, Alex could hardly focus on anything to read or write effectively anyways, so the thought of staring at logs or her records books for hours made her nauseous. Law refused to even allow her access to the training room, however. Without her regular sparring sessions with Bepo, which had been keeping her previously growing nightmares at bay, she felt restless and lethargic all at once.

Her boredom crested after only a couple days, and in a fit of childishness she reasoned that she could at least organize the medicine cabinets because it was something she did even before she was the crew’s apothecary. Before long, her eyes started crossing as she read the small labels, and she got so lost in the room spinning that she didn’t hear her Captain leave his office.

Law had immediately Shambled her out of the med bay once when he caught her, and the overwhelming urge to throw up from the sudden movement was enough to keep her from entering again.

Until now. She stepped tentatively into the med bay.

“If you even think of going near that desk, I won’t hesitate to Amputate your limbs and feed them to a sea king,” Law’s gruff voice called from his office. The door had been left open, and his chair was facing the infirmary. He had a thick medical chart open in his lap.

Alex wondered why he was turned in that direction rather than his desk, but she couldn't muster enough concentration to ponder for long. Eventually, the thought slipped through her mind like mist.

She rubbed a hand at her temple. Her mind felt like one big ball of tangled strings, but when she tried thinking on a particular thread for too long, untangling the individual thought or idea, they were snipped away like a frayed end.

Law frowned as he watched her, and Alex suddenly realized she wasn’t sure how long she had been standing there. He had said something, right?

“Can I sleep on one of the cots?” she asked finally, letting her hand fall to her side.

Her Captain closed the chart he was reading and set it on his desk. In a few long strides he was out of his office and standing before her.

She squinted her eyes a bit as she looked up, trying to make his face out with the med bay's florescent bulbs overhead. Everything had a glossy sheen to it. Law made a noise and turned away. Suddenly, the room was thrown into darkness and all but the emergency lights over the door were off.

Alex blinked a couple times and waited for her eyes to adjust. After a minute or so, she could make out more than just the outline of his features. His yellow eyes seemed to glow in the dim light. He was watching her closely.

"Thank you," she offered sincerely.

He took her shoulder and turned her towards the nearest cot. "Lay down." His words fell between the instruction of a doctor and the command of a captain.

She hummed contently and settled on her back, letting her unbroken arm drape over her eyes. The gentle pressure felt good, like a balm over raw nerves.

With her eyes closed, Alex felt Law walk to his office, pick the chart he was previously holding off his desk, and return. She didn't need her observation haki to know when he sat down at her desk, though. The chair creaked in protest, several of the screws needing tightened. He'd be lucky if it didn't topple with him in it, but maybe it would save her from having to ask for a replacement.

"Why aren't you sleeping in your room?" he asked finally. His voice was deep and low, little more than a hum in the quiet infirmary.

"The guys are going to war in their quarters. With accompanying instrumentals, featuring the wall between our rooms."

"...going to war?" Law asked with equal parts disbelief and humor in his voice.

"Technically they're playing poker, but it may as well be war from the sounds of it." She took a deep breath then let the coiled muscles in her shoulders and neck unwind as a hiss of air escaped between her teeth. "They all seemed so excited about letting loose for a bit. I didn't wanna’ to tell 'em to stop. Everyone's been walking on eggshells for days. I’m more tired of that than I am of not being able to sleep.”

“Yet here you are in the med bay, trying to sleep anyways,” he replied.

“Well I certainly didn’t come for the riveting company,” she sassed. Something bounced off her arm and clattered to the floor. She didn’t bother uncovering her eyes. “Did you just throw a  _ pen _ at me?”

She could practically feel his smirk, but he didn’t reply. In her mind’s eye, she could see him reading the chart in his hands languidly.

“Hey Captain?” Her words echoed in the empty space around them.

“What?” he replied. There was the shuffling of a page turning.

“I think a couple of the guys may be visiting you tomorrow. For medical reasons.” The corner of her lip ticked up in a poorly repressed grin.

“I’m sorry.  _ What? _ ” he repeated slowly.

She could practically feel his raised brow and a slight shift of her arm let her take a peek to confirm that--yep--he was looking at her dubiously. 

He was leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees. The chart was held open in one hand, dark letters prominent on his fingers against the pale yellow of the manila folder. She noted absently that he had rolled up his sleeves and she could make out the clean black lines of the tattoos on his forearms.

He snapped the pages closed and the sudden movement broke her reverie. Her eyes snapped up to his. Surprisingly, his gaze held amusement as he watched her.

“I made muffins,” she prattled, “and I may or may not have mixed up blueberries and goochi berries, which are--interestingly enough--completely harmless but turn urine bright red. And a couple of muffins may or may not have been eaten before I could dispose of them, even though I definitely put a sign next to them saying not to eat.”

Law’s expression said there was a lot to unpack in her rant. “You put up a sign?”

“Uh, duh? They were too hot to take out of the pan right away. It even said ‘Do Not Eat’ clear as day,” she stated matter-of-factly.

He set the folder in his hand on her desk and pinched the bridge of his nose. “And Yachi let you use his kitchen? Why were you baking in the first place?”

“It was before breakfast. I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep, so I baked. You never said anything about no baking.”

She could see the vein pulse under his hat. “I told you not to over exert yourself, then you go and poison the crew with  _ muffins _ .”

“Oi, they weren’t poisoned. They’ll just have some...interesting side effects. That you may be hearing about in more detail tomorrow. Which is why I wanted to give you an advanced notice.”

There was a beat of silence. “And how exactly did my expert botanist manage to misidentify two completely different fruits?” he asked incredulously.

She gave an unapologetic shrug from her position on the cot. “I’m concussed and tired. Even the best apothecary in the world can make mistakes,” she defended cheekily. “And a certain redhead stole the last of my cocoa powder three days ago and didn’t replace it. I haven’t been able to make any hot chocolate. Thieves get what’s coming to them.”

There was a snort of amusement from her Captain. “Says the pirate.”

“The pirate who needs her hot chocolate to survive.”

“You lived on a deserted island for an entire year without chocolate,” he reminded her.

“Yep, and it almost did me in before the bugs could. The withdrawals were the worst thing I’ve ever experienced,” Alex laughed and immediately regretted the action as the sound bounced between her ears. She rubbed at her temples soothingly. “ _ Almost _ the worst thing.”

“How have your headaches been doing?” Law inquired in a more subdued voice.

“It feels less like glass shards in a blender and more like potatoes in a pressure canner. So improvement, yay,” she answered honestly. “I still have some nausea. The vision problems are actually getting better, but I still can’t see too great in bright light. It’s like someone wrapped everything in saran wrap.”

“And how are you sleeping?” His tone could almost be called pensive.

Alex reminded herself that he was her doctor as much as her Captain. Saving face wouldn’t do her any good in these situations. “Like shit. I’ll take my pain reliever and sleep for a couple hours once my head stops hurting, but my dreams wake me up. I don’t even remember them half the time. I just wake up and it feels like my stomach is in my throat, and then the headache comes back. I know it’ll get better, though.”

He didn’t press further even though it would have been within his right to do so.

Minutes crept by. The two pirates stayed silent in the dark.

His next question, barely more than a whisper in the silence around them, caught her off guard. “Can I tell you about them?”

_ Them. _ Her memories flashed to a previous time in the med bay, to a very different conversation.

She kept her expression calm, reigning in her tattered and thready thoughts to focus entirely on the man in front of her. “Yes, please.”

Trafalgar D. Law--Captain of the Heart Pirates, the Surgeon of Death, one of the Worst Generation, former Warlord--gradually unfolded himself in front of her.

He didn't look at her as he talked. His golden eyes were seeing elsewhere, watching ghosts and events long since passed. His deep baritone filled the air and lulled her further into the cot as he told his story.

Alex knew when he left out the most painful parts, because he would pause and swallow air for a moment before continuing. She didn’t interrupt him, though. She already knew about those tragedies to some degree, while the smaller and more intimate details he provided gave context. How the white that seeped from every part of the Flevance Kingdom turned childhood dreams and brotherly affections to dust. How the raging flames of the World Government’s dogs turned that overwhelming white into ashen grey and soot.

He told her of his parents who were both doctors and how he knew since childhood that he would follow in their steps. He spoke of his younger sister Lami with her pigtails and the natural curiosity she had about the world around her. How Law would show her pictures from his school books even though she was still too young to learn from them yet.

Possibly more beloved than his born family was ‘Cora-san’, whose name was spoken with affection and reverence. Law’s mentor had clearly been family in all the ways that mattered. Alex allowed a small part of herself to mourn the man who saved her Captain’s life.

Law also told Alex about Dressrosa and Zou and Wano, places she knew he had been to previously based on small conversations with the crew. Her Captain's reluctant respect for Monkey D. Luffy made significantly more sense knowing the true power and charisma Strawhat held despite his age and relative inexperience in the New World.

"I still can't believe you're best friends with an Emperor," she teased, enjoying the way he squirmed in the chair. He didn't deny her claim though.

Her eyes never strayed from Law. His hat sat on her desk, dark hair mussed, and even in the dim lighting she could see the dark circles under his eyes. He was unguarded and handsome, and the intimacy of the moment resonated in her bones.

Without any significant shift or thought, Alex was struck with the realization that she loved this man. It wasn’t the rush of love that left her breathless or with butterflies in her stomach. On the contrary, it was the quiet kind that made her feel grounded and warm. She wanted to stand at his side with the rest of the crew, aboard the Polar Tang--her home--and love him completely and fully with silent affections.

Despite how the world made him out, their crew realized Law could be as solicitous as he was ruthless. He was a child raised to be a doctor and to help people, twisted and cultivated by a cruel fate, and while he came to be known as the Surgeon of Death, he still protected life. And had a penchant for stealing hearts--literally. She admired every aspect of this man in discrete yet equal ways.

Alex knew what she felt wasn’t a selfless love. Watching the shadow of his jaw and dark flash of his eyes, she knew she could grow to want more. Eventually, she may even voice or act on the warmth pooling in her chest. For now, though, she would be content to admire him silently as her Captain, pushing his dreams further until a time he no longer needed her or the crew.

"Go to sleep,” Law’s deep voice echoed between the cots. He had turned back to the chart sitting on the desk.

“Aye, Captain.”

She closed her eyes and let the warmth of the golden honey aura lull her off to sleep.

* * *

The submarine shifted underneath his feet as Law stood outside the med bay, door shut firmly but quietly behind him to keep from disturbing his apothecary. Alex had fallen asleep within minutes of his command, a sheet pulled over her thin frame. She laid on her side like when they had hidden in the tree from the Marines. Unlike that time, however, she shifted and muttered in her sleep, her right wrist in its brace huddled close to her chest.

He rubbed futilely at his eyes, hoping that the pressure would ease the image of the mottled bruising around the woman’s neck. Thick fingers had left distinct marks, fading to a sickly green following more than a week of healing. The sight still made his blood boil, but he put every effort to appear stoic while facing her.

After his surgery, Penguin had asked his Captain after one mercenary lackey in particular, a broad bloke with a flask at his hip. Law vaguely recalled cutting him down shortly before entering the brig. His sharpshooter had been unremorseful in his satisfaction, describing the nature and means of the injuries the doctor had seen and treated on their female crewmate with critical eyes. The brute had been responsible for almost all of it, and he should feel grateful in the afterlife--at the bottom of the sea--that Law couldn’t resurrect the dead with his Devil Fruit.

Law had made sure the mercenary captain had lived long enough to realize his mistake, but after hearing the torture his crew had been put through, he wished he had been slower. Kikoku had fed off his rage and sang out at the rare meal. He hadn’t used his Devil Fruit, and it had felt good for too short a time to have his hands painted red. He was simultaneously one of the best and worst doctors on the seas. He was the Surgeon of Death, just as likely to end a life as to save it.

Law always felt anger simmering under his skin. Ire and spite were two of his strongest emotions, and he couldn’t recall a time after the burning of Flevance that he wasn’t angry. Angry at the World Government, the world itself, life--until Corazon helped ease some of the vitriol, but he felt ready to burst at the seams at that moment from the resentment towards himself and his failures as a Captain to keep his crew safe.

The anger threatened to rip him apart.

He made his way to the observation deck where Bepo was drawing a crude outline of an island to the best of his paw’s abilities.

The bear’s nose and ears twitched as Law entered but he didn’t look up from his task. “Evening Captain.”

“Come spar with me,” Law commanded without preamble.

The first mate peered at his Captain. His flat bear-like features gave away none of his thoughts. Bepo had been used to the demand before Punk Hazard and throughout Wano, but the requests had died down in recent months.

“Aye Captain,” finally Bepo replied, rolling up his charts and putting them in their proper place before heading to the back of the sub and climbing the ladder to the training room.

Law followed.

The mink stood at the sparring mat, swinging his limbs around in a fluid stretch routine that set Law more at ease with its familiarity. He went to the far wall where the training swords hung on the wall. Kikoku sat in his office, not out of reach with his Devil Fruit ability, but far enough away where the cursed blade couldn’t feed into or off of his turmoil.

Law met Bepo in the middle of the dojo with a wooden nodachi. He wouldn’t be able to use Amputate with the dull practice sword, but Shambles was always a viable and effective option for keeping up with the swift mink.

“Ready?” the navigator asked, winding into a striking pose.

Law lifted the nodachi, testing its weight and calculating how he would need to compensate when compared to Kikoku’s usual weight. With a roll of his shoulders, he replied. “Yes.”

No sooner than the word left his mouth, Bepo was attacking. It was clear within several minutes that Law was at a clear disadvantage. The combination of time since their last spar and his distracted thoughts allowed the bear to get within striking distance two times despite the length of Law’s weapon.

On the third breach of defense, Law Shambled his position for a practice dummy on the far end of the room. Bepo had clearly anticipated his Captain to use his Devil Fruit, however, and Law was caught by surprise when his legs were taken out from under him by Bepo having already caught and thrown the dummy at his feet.

Two dark, beady eyes stared down at him, disapproval and concern heavy on the mink’s brow.

“What’s wrong?” his first mate asked. He sat down cross-legged next to his fallen Captain, clearly with no intention of resuming their spar anytime soon.

Law stayed on his back, trying to slow his breathing and clear his thoughts.

“I’ve already apologized to Penguin and Alex, as well as the rest of the crew, for not telling anyone about my suspicions.” And everyone had whole-heartedly forgiven him, though that didn’t mean Law felt he genuinely deserved it. “But that doesn’t change the fact that they were both taken and hurt. We didn’t even learn anything useful about who hired the mercenaries to begin with, because I killed them before we could question them. So now we’re back to square one, and it will be impossible to predict how whoever orchestrated the whole thing will strike again.”

“You were upset that our precious people were taken,” Bepo replied calmly. “And you were more worried about getting them back than getting information at the time. You were justified, Captain.”

After a minute of silence, Law finally asked what he had been wanting since he sought out his first mate. “How do I make it up to them?”

“Do you  _ have _ to make it up to them?” Bepo asked with genuine curiosity, his head tilted to look at his Captain with a peculiar expression.

“I don’t know. I feel like I do,” Law answered honestly. He thought back to Wano, to the time when he was able to spare his crew their imprisonment and torture by trading himself in their place. He would do near anything to protect his crew, and he had failed this time.

“Penguin has been wanting a new rifle,” Bepo finally replied after a few moments. He had a paw to his face, looking contemplative. “He really liked the one that was lost after the kidnapping, and it will give him something to do while he’s healing.”

“Okay. Easy enough. And what about Alex?” Law pressed. He wanted to get rid of this tar-like feeling in his chest.

The bear regarded him in that mink way of his, expression flat and impossible to read. “I don’t know, Captain. I think you’re the best one to know. Other than Yachi, she spends the most time with you.”

He wanted to argue against the statement, but when he added up the time, he found that he couldn’t. Days in the infirmary going over supplies and cases. Late night chats when she brought him coffee as she sipped on hot chocolate the nights she couldn’t sleep (which had become more frequent than he realized even before the kidnapping). The occasional venture into town together. Other than maybe their cook Law really did spend the most time with his apothecary.

“Shit. You’re right. Fine, I’ll figure it out.” He paused, considering. “I think I’ve got an idea anyways.”

Bepo nodded sagely before getting up and offering a paw to his Captain. The two resumed their sparring. Law’s chest did not feel much looser but his thoughts more clear than they had been in days.

After a couple hours and verifying that they would be making land by the next morning, Law set out to talk with Yachi about adding a few things to their grocery list.


	18. Of Chocolate and Ink

Alex sat in a far corner of the mess hall by herself, nibbling on a piece of rye toast and washing it down with a tall glass of orange juice. She had successfully gotten more than six hours of consecutive sleep and her body didn’t seem to know what to do with the rest. Her leg wanted to bounce underneath the table but the small vibrations set her headache off.

A large dose of painkiller and a glass of water had been left by her cot in the infirmary when she woke that morning, with clear instructions written to get food after taking the medicine. Alex smiled to herself, tracing the paper inside her pocket where she had stashed it after popping the large pill. Her Captain acted aloof and detached but he was 

Some of the men stumbled into the room. They were all clearly hungover or still drunk, with the exception of Penguin on his crutches and who was still taking pain medicine, therefore barred from any alcohol consumption.

Penguin hadn’t come back to his cot in the infirmary by the time Alex had woken up, which told her Shachi must have taken pity on his poor lover and let him sleep in his bunk following their night of poker. 

She wondered idly if the two would become more open with their affections following recent events. Her mind flashed back to how quickly the redhead had gotten to the sharpshooter’s side when they were found in the cell. They truly were discreet in their affair, and it was only circumstance that Alex had stumbled on them a handful of times while they were being intimate. She would always leave them be, after she had made sure they locked the door to the supply room, of course.

Penguin sat across from her, his hat pulled low over his face and ears, but Alex knew where to look by now and found his cheeks into his jawline flushed. Even with the shadows covering his eyes, she could tell he was refusing to look at her.

Shachi sat down next to her, setting his and Penguin’s trays on the table since the dark haired man couldn’t carry his own. Nothing looked too out of the normal, until she glanced just past his collar.

A dark, circular bruise could be seen clear as day beneath the redhead’s jawline. There was no mistaking it for anything other than a hickey.

“I’m glad you two are working things out, but you may want to invest in concealer if you’re going above the collar,” Alex giggled, propping her chin on her uninjured hand to cover her grin. She kept her tone teasing but there was a curious lilt to her voice. She was dying to know why they hadn’t thought to cover it.

Shachi to burst into a crimson blush, his posture going rigid from embarrassment but not necessarily fear at being caught. Penguin looked more like a turtle from how far he was hiding himself into his boiler suit.

“Ah...don’t worry, Alex. We don’t need any concealer. The guys, uh...the guys know,” Penguin spoke from inside his shell. “We told them last night.”

Alex nodded, a broad smile overtaking her lips. “Good. I’m so happy for you two. I hope none of them gave you a hard time.” The  _ ‘or else’ _ at the end of the sentence was implied.

“And on that note, I’m going to get more bacon,” Shachi scurried off the bench and towards the kitchen window, his blush bright like a beacon running across the room.

Penguin snorted. “The only hard time we got last night was the guys offering to all crash in the second bunkroom so we could have the room to ourselves for the night.” He was still blushing, but he was no longer ducking away. “I told them it was a nice gesture, but a bit hard to take advantage at the moment.” He motioned to his left hip which was still braced, though he could now unlock it to a ninety-degree to allow him to sit more comfortably.

Alex snickered. “But I see you all still took advantage of some privacy somewhere this morning.” Her comment earned her a kick under the table. 

She glanced back to Shachi. Seeing the redhead across the room, talking with Yachi, she leaned closer to Penguin to whisper. “Has Shachi had any  _ problems _ this morning?” she asked leadingly with a razor smile.

The sharpshooter shook his head, also grinning. “Nope. He usually goes to the latrine after breakfast. Hopefully Captain is in his office for drop-ins. I hear bright red urine can be a serious condition.” 

Shachi may have been Penguin’s lover, but they both knew the man was a little shit. Penguin and Alex had created a bond of sorts after their kidnapping, so after the redhead had blatantly stolen the last of Alex’s hot chocolate, Penguin had suggested payback. She was all too eager to go along with the idea.

She wondered idly if Law would go along with the ploy or rat her out, now that he knew about the practical joke. Her Captain was a fickle character at times, so it would be too hard to guess. Regardless, the redhead’s initial shock and panic would be more than enough compensation for his crime.

Her thoughts drifted to the announcement of an island this morning as she was making her way to breakfast. She desperately wanted to explore, not just to do her  _ job _ \--which she was still restricted from for another thirteen days and counting--but to see new places and people. 

Shortly after the incident, they had come across a port. Alex had been eager to prove to herself and the crew that she wouldn’t be cowed by fear of unknown assailants. The island was a summer climate, however, and the combination of bright light, intense heat, and her inability to dial back her observation haki--unconsciously pushing out at its limits to look for unseen threats--had made her feel sick for hours after she had made it back to the Polar Tang.

Bepo, her usual partner on island excursions even before her injuries, had stuck close until they made it back to the sub. Then they parted ways for the navigator to work on his maps. The mink had found her later curled up in the freezer with a thin blanket, the cold and dark and small space helping to calm her nerves and stave off the headache. He had laid with her for hours, enjoying the frigid temperature, letting his subordinate use his side as a pillow.

Alex didn’t think that Bepo had mentioned anything to Law about the matter, as their Captain hadn’t said anything during her check-ups. Least to say, though, she wasn’t keen on repeating the experience. 

A hand waved in front of her eyes, and Alex snapped back to attention. Shachi had returned during her internal musings, must have said something, and realized that she was spacing hard.

“You good?” Penguin asked, looking at her critically.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. “M’good. I think I’m gonna’ head to the observation deck, though.” It was suddenly too loud in the mess hall.

“Yeah, that’s okay,” Penguin assured her. “See you later.”

She stood and took her tray to the kitchen window, reigning in a wince as her crewmates hollered a combination of good mornings and farewells. Yachi was at the stove, turning out more bacon and eggs for the late risers, so she left without disturbing him.

The observation deck was empty and quiet when she arrived. Bepo was likely at the bridge, helping to guide the sub into shallow waters for docking.

Alex sat on the edge of the glass bowl, drawing her knees towards her chest as she glanced out into the depths. They were in shallow enough seas that she could make out the bottom a few dozen meters below. Light from the surface danced through the water to the sandy floor, where it rippled like electricity.

The surface came closer until the Polar Tang was forced to breach, and she vaguely remembered hearing Bepo’s voice over the intercom announcing that they were docking in a cove not too far from port.

From her perch, Alex watched the sea come to life as the submarine settled. They had stopped next to the edge of a reef, its vibrant colors a stark contrast from the mottled blues around it. Schools of silver mackerel twisted and turned at the reef’s shelf. Smaller fish all colors of the rainbow darted in and out of the corals. She could make the distinct shapes of angelfish and groupers.

Suddenly, one of the larger rocks began to move, and it took Alex a moment to realize it was a sea turtle. She watched in awe for a few moments before it lumbered out of view with a few languid strokes, its massive weight betrayed by how fluidly it moved in the water.

At some point, she drifted off, balancing on the ledge of the window. The gentle hum of the engines and rocking of the sub lulled her to sleep.

A familiar tawny presence entered the room, and Alex was roused by her Captain sitting opposite to her. Kikoku was propped on the wall beside the window. The half fish bowl was large enough for even Bepo to sit on, but its circular shape made it difficult for two to sit without touching. That said, their shoes brushed against one another, her feet propped while he had one leg dangling and the other bent to steady himself. His arm was draped across the bent knee, and it took her a moment after waking to see he was holding a bag in that hand.

“Morning Captain,” she greeted, stretching her arms above her head.

He gave her an inquisitive look and glanced conspicuously at the clock. “It’s two in the afternoon.”

Alex blinked dumbly, her mouth rounding out as she replied, “Oh.” She tugged at her hair, which was falling out of its short braid by now. “Well then, good afternoon,” she corrected nonplussed.

Without saying anything else, he held the bag out for her to take. She took it tentatively, sliding her legs out against Law’s so she could place the gift in her lap.

“Oh,” she whispered in awe as she peaked inside. She pulled a few of the items out.

Her Captain had given her an assortment of hot chocolate mixes--powders and syrups--along with marshmallows and different flavored stirring sticks. She felt her stomach warm and her chest tighten, her head feeling light in her excitement.

Law watched intently, clearly wanting the items presented to pass inspection. He seemed so unsure of himself, sitting awkwardly half-on the ledge and his expression pulling down into a grimace like he was already second guessing his decision.

Alex knew he wouldn’t appreciate being hugged, but she wanted him to know how much she genuinely loved the gifts. She reached forward, wrapping her fingers around his ankle. It was through his jeans, but the touch still seemed to startle him. She kept a hold though as she looked him in the eye.

“Thank you, Law. I love them,” she told him sincerely, giving him a small smile.

Law flushed and looked away, but he didn’t pull back from her touch. Alex felt her smile grow.

“Yeah, well I can’t have you poisoning the crew just because someone supposedly stole the last of your favorite drink mix,” he told her gruffly.

She let go of his ankle and smacked his foot in playful retaliation. “I did  _ not _ poison him!” she protested.

“Shachi seems to think otherwise, and I think he wants payback. You may have started a prank war,” her Captain forewarned him, a smirk growing on his handsome features.

“I don’t start what I can’t finish. I’ll crush him before he even knows what hit him. I have allies everywhere,” she replied ominously.

Her Captain heaved a sigh and stood. “Just leave the Polar Tang out of it. Any damages and  _ I’ll _ be the one finishing it,” he informed. Alex thought it interesting that he didn’t include  _ himself _ on the list of things to leave out. Admittedly, she had already involved him in the first strike, so he may have considered the matter too late to rectify.

“Of course, Captain. I wouldn’t think of it,” she answered cheekily, pulling her new assortment of treats closer. She was tempted to go to the kitchen now to make some.

“See you at dinner,” Law said before strolling out of the observation deck.

Alex watched him go without really replying. She glanced down to the bag in her lap and smiled. The expression stayed until well after dinner.

* * *

The leaden sensation in his chest had eased after Law had given Alex and Penguin their gifts.

Penguin had thanked his Captain with a grin as he took the rifle from its case, checking its weight and sites before asking if there were any Marines nearby he could test its shot. Law had expected the reaction from the sharpshooter and reminded him of his light,  _ non-combative _ duty status for the month at the minimum.

The interaction had lightened some of the tight guilt in his chest, though.

Then Alex’s reaction to something as simple as sweets and chocolates took the remaining heaviness and set it on fire with the sincerity of her thanks. He knew his apothecary to be an emotional and strong-willed woman, but her childish glee at opening the undecorated bag had flustered him.

Two weeks had passed and he could still feel thin fingers wrapped around his ankle and sincere blue eyes looking up at him. He always forgot that Alex was  _ so short _ until he was in her personal space and towering over her.

There was a knock on his door. When Law glanced up, he was surprised to see neither Bepo nor Alex, the usual culprits this time of evening so close to dinner.

“Maco. What do you need?”

Maco was generally one of the more calm, collected members of his crew. He was almost as talented with throwing knives as he was a needle and ink, both reasons for Law having recruited him for the Heart Pirates. Though the man’s heart-shaped stylized hair had been a feature well before he had joined.

“Can I use the operating suite tonight?” 

The only time anyone asked to use the room--generally reserved solely for surgical procedures--was when Maco tattooed. It was something Law insisted, both as their Captain and their doctor. Too many infections had occurred on ships at seas where questionable hygiene practices had been kept, which did not mix well with needles and blood. Not on Law’s ship.

“Permission granted. Who are you working on?”

“Alex-san. She asked me a couple days ago, but I wanted to work through her design before I asked to use the suite.” 

Maco seemed to be gauging his Captain more closely than normal, but Law couldn’t place why. Regardless, the news came as a shock, not because he couldn’t see Alex getting a tattoo, but because his usually chatty apothecary had mentioned nothing during their time in the infirmary together.

Even though the three weeks of restricted duty had passed, Alex was still recovering from her concussion and required frequent breaks from looking at logs and writing in her records books. 

He had found her leaning back in her chair or laying on the cot nearest her desk with an arm draped over her eyes on more than one occasion. Often, a discarded cup of hot cocoa or two was sitting at the desk. He never lingered on the sense of contentment that seeped into his bones at the sight.

When he asked, she told him that her eyes tired more quickly than her thoughts. It left her antsy and restless, frustrated at the slow rate of recovery which was unfortunately typical following a concussion.

Knowing there was no way to ease the strain on her eyes, Law returned to inquiring about her expertise and opinions on treatments for bizarre symptoms. They had continued the routine following the first time Law had told her about Flevance and she had shared her suspicions on her mother’s death. He had an entire chart filled with hypothetical treatments for very real diseases in the rare (but unfortunately very likely) chance his crew crossed their paths.

Her injuries had forced him to sideline their daily bantering until she was cleared, but now their interaction allowed her to lay with her eyes closed, leaving Law to jot down their musings. The two of them would sit for an hour at times until Alex’s eyes had rested long enough and she could resume her actual tasks.

“What is she getting?” Law hadn’t even realized he had asked the question until the words were out.

“Captain, you know I can’t ruin her big reveal. It’s her first tattoo. Makes it special. Gotta’ wait like everyone else,” Maco told him, a gruff guffaw escaping his chest. He was a peculiar man, taking his craft and its oddities very seriously, but the tattoo artist was right. 

Law could wait.

“Hn. Fine.”

Maco’s barking laughter told him that Law failed at keeping the petulance from his tone, so he pulled his hat over her face and slammed the door in the man’s face. The laughing only got louder until it echoed out of the med bay.

* * *

Alex was rocking between her heels and the balls of her feet when Law walked into the med bay the next day. She was wearing her usual green flannel with the cargo shorts she usually wore on islands when it was too hot for her boiler suit. Her hair was pulled to the side in a loose braid.

A quick glance showed no ink on her forearms or calves, and Law idly wondered where she had chosen to put her tattoo.

She turned when she saw him and cornflower blue eyes brightened. “Captain! I’ve got somethin’ to show you.” Her smile was bright yet shy, and she was tugging at the end of her braid in that nervous way of hers.

She waited eagerly until he had nodded his consent, practically vibrating in excitement, before pulling her flannel off. Underneath she was wearing one of her usual halter tops, the material layered so it crossed the hollow of her neck and tied in the back. 

On clear display, underneath her collarbones extending out towards her shoulders, were clean black lines creating the delicate stems and leaves of an unfamiliar plant. He leaned in and could make out small dark flowers and berries that looked vaguely familiar.

“Is that…?”

“Belladonna? Yep,” she answered for him, her lips popping on the ‘p’ as she usually did. Her grin was wicked and proud, the dark design standing out against her tanned skin in sharp yet fine lines. The redness and puffiness of the fresh tattoo didn’t detract from the design in the slightest. Each stem on the left and right were separate from one another, but mirrored each other perfectly. It was a testament to Maco’s steady hand and skill.

Law couldn’t help but return the gesture. “They suit you,” he told her honestly.

Alex flushed but her smile broadened even further in her giddiness. “I’ve already got an idea for my next one. But I’m gonna give these their due time to heal.”

“You’re fully embracing the pirate life. Tattoos. What would your poor brother say?” Law asked rhetorically with a heavy smirk.

Alex snorted, very unladylike. “You’ve clearly never seen the men’s barracks in the Marines. I’ve never seen so many tattooed asses in my life.”

Law cocked a brow. “Do I want to know why you were in their barracks or looking at their asses?”

“When you grow up on a Marine base but your brother’s training buddies insist that there shouldn’t be any place for girls outside the house, you sneak into their rooms to put dried baby's breath in their underwear. I had to stay long enough to get the free entertainment.”

“I’m sorry, but why baby’s breath? And how did you even find something like that on a winter island?” Law asked incredulously.

“Baby’s breath acts as a skin irritant when dried and you can find them in almost any flower shop on any island. They’re popular for bouquets. The men didn’t even suspect me, and Thomas was the one to escort me to the flower shop and everything,” she cackled.

Law blinked slowly and marveled at how petty and vindictive this small woman could be.

“If you use that against Shachi, please make sure to let me know so I don’t wash my clothing the same day as he does,” he requested, only mostly joking.

Alex grinned up at him. “I have better stuff than  _ baby’s breath _ now, Captain. Come on.”

He couldn’t stop the hand that ran over his face. His eyes fell back to the dark lines beneath her collar bones. 

The symbology was not lost on him. A beautiful woman who could and would kill.

He pitied any mortal soul who messed with the Heart Pirate’s Belladonna.


End file.
